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Prayer vs Imprecation - What's the difference?

prayer | imprecation |

As nouns the difference between prayer and imprecation

is that prayer is a practice of communicating with one's god or prayer can be one who prays while imprecation is the act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone; a prayer that a curse or calamity may befall someone.

prayer

English

(wikipedia prayer)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A practice of communicating with one's God.
  • The act of praying.
  • * , chapter=5
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer .}}
  • The specific words or methods used for praying.
  • A meeting held for the express purpose of praying.
  • A request; a petition.
    • Synonyms
    * orison, precation
    Derived terms
    * not have a prayer * prayer book * prayer meeting * friday prayer * prayer wheel

    Etymology 2

    (pray).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who prays.
    • Yep, Grandpa is a real prayer all right.

    imprecation

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone; a prayer that a curse or calamity may befall someone.
  • * 1893 , , Maggie, Girl of the Streets , ch. 10:
    • Her son turned to look at her as she reeled and swayed in the middle of the room, her fierce face convulsed with passion, her blotched arms raised high in imprecation . "May Gawd curse her forever," she shrieked.
  • A curse.
  • * 1839 , , Oliver Twist , ch. 3:
    • Mr. Gamfield growled a fierce imprecation on the donkey generally, but more particularly on his eyes; and, running after him, bestowed a blow on his head.

    Related terms

    * deprecation * imprecate * precation

    See also

    * Article on “imprecation” on Wordmall