You searched for: “prays
praise, praise, prays, preys
praise (PRAYZ) (noun)
1. Favorable judgment or comment: The critic gave high praise for the new portrait in the art gallery.
2. An expression of approval or admiration: The praise Karen received motivated her to do even more to help people.
praise (PRAYZ) (verb)
To glorify or to worship: The hymn was sung to praise the new church building that the congregation felt God had provided.
prays (PRAYZ) (verb)
1. Used in the third person singular, to make a request in a humble manner: The minister prays before and after each religious ceremony.
2. Used in the third person singular, to implore: The student standing before the school official certainly prays that she is not in trouble.
preys (PRAYZ) (verb)
1. Used in the third person singular, to engage in the act of hunting or killing for food: The wolf preys on smaller animals in order to survive.
2. Used in the third person singular, to raid, to seize, or to commit robbery: The street ruffian often preys on children going to school by stealing their lunch money.

Should a person who preys on other people for money receive praise just because he prays?

pray (verb), prays; prayed; praying
1. To make an entreaty; that is, to beg, beseech, implore; to beg.
2. To ask someone earnestly and fervently; to entreat (to beg someone for something, often repeatedly).
3. To utter or to address a prayer or prayers to God, a god, or another object of worship.
4. Etymology: from Latin precari which meant "to ask for, to entreat, to pray".

In Vulgar Latin, it became precare, which passed into English via Old French preier.

The noun prayer goes back ultimately to the Latin adjective precarius, "obtained by asking or praying".

This entry is located in the following unit: pray-, preca- (page 1)