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Pray vs Vow - What's the difference?

pray | vow |

As verbs the difference between pray and vow

is that pray is to petition or solicit help from a supernatural or higher being while vow is (ambitransitive) to make a vow; to promise.

As an adverb pray

is please; used to make a polite request.

As a noun vow is

a solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.

pray

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To petition or solicit help from a supernatural or higher being.
    • Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca.
  • To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
  • (religion) to communicate with God for any reason.
  • (obsolete) To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I know not how to pray your patience.

    Derived terms

    * prayer * pray in aid

    Adverb

    (-)
  • please; used to make a polite request.
    • pray silence for…
  • * 1816 , (Jane Austen), , Volume 1 Chapter 8
    • "Pray , Mr. Knightley," said Emma, who had been smiling to herself through a great part of this speech, "how do you know that Mr. Martin did not speak yesterday?"
  • * Charles Dickens, , 1841:
    • Pray''' don’t ask me why, '''pray''' don’t be sorry, '''pray don’t be vexed with me!
  • * Frederick Marryat, , 1845:
    • Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us dreadfully.
  • * 1892 , (Arthur Conan Doyle),
    • Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue your most interesting statement.
  • * 2013 , Martina Hyde, Is the pope Catholic?'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 September 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/20/is-pope-catholic-atheists-gay-people-abortion]
    • He is a South American, so perhaps revolutionary spirit courses through Francis's veins. But what, pray , does the Catholic church want with doubt?

    vow

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.
  • A declaration or assertion.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-14, author= Sam Leith
    • , volume=189, issue=1, page=37, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Where the profound meets the profane , passage=Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself.}}

    Usage notes

    * One normally makes'' or ''takes'' a vow, or simply ''vows (see below). * Commonly mentioned vows include those of silence'', ''obedience'', ''poverty'', ''chastity'', and ''celibacy . * 'to keep/pay/fulfill a vow' = to honor a vow * 'to break a vow' = to dishonor a vow

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To make a vow; to promise.
  • * Bible, Eccl. v. 4
    • When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.
  • * Richard Baxter
    • We do not vow that we will never sin, nor neglect a duty (nor ought we to do so).
  • To make a vow regarding (something).
    • The wronged woman vowed revenge.
  • To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation.
    • The rebels vowed to continue their fight.

    Derived terms

    * exchange vows * take vows * vow of celibacy * vow of chastity * vow of silence * vow of poverty

    Related terms

    * devote * vote * votive

    External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

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