📖 P — The English dictionary · page 50

practise — Everyday, meaning 1: To practise is to do something many times to get better at it: practise the piano.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To practise is to do something often as a habit: practise good manners.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To practise as a doctor or lawyer is to work as one.↗ Example: Today we practise all four operations together.↗ · Ella practises the piano 20 minutes each day.↗ · We practise our spelling words every week.↗ · The team practised hard before the match.↗ · Let's practise our times tables.↗ · Practise crossing the road safely with a grown-up.↗ · Practice makes perfect.↗ · Dr Lee practises in our town.↗ · I will practise only the good and true; with these I will protect the beautiful.↗ · Ye shall not eat with the blood; neither shall ye practise divination nor soothsaying.↗ (Torah LEV.19.26, JPS 1917)↗ · Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they practised.↗ (Prophets 2KI.17.19, JPS 1917)↗ · and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they practised; (Prophets 2KI.17.8, JPS 1917)↗

practitioner — Everyday, meaning 1: A practitioner is a person who does a skilled job, especially a doctor, nurse or lawyer.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A practitioner of something is a person who regularly does it: a practitioner of yoga.↗ Example: Our general practitioner is Dr Patel.↗ · Go to your GP if the cough goes on.↗ · A nurse practitioner checked my ear.↗ · She is a practitioner of karate.↗ · All health practitioners must keep records safe.↗ · The practitioner explained the treatment.↗ · Dentists and doctors are health practitioners.↗ · He is a skilled practitioner of law.↗

prairie — Everyday, meaning 1: A prairie is a large, flat area of grassland with few trees, especially in North America.↗ Example: Wheat grows across the prairie.↗ · Bison once roamed the prairies.↗ · The prairie stretched as far as we could see.↗ · Prairie dogs live in burrows.↗ · We drove for hours across the Canadian prairies.↗ · Grass on the prairie can grow very tall.↗ · The pioneers crossed the prairie in wagons.↗ · Prairie storms can be strong.↗ · The wolf was large and the teepee was far across the prairie.↗

praise — Everyday, meaning 1: To say that someone or something is good and that you admire them.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) Words that show approval or admiration.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To give thanks and honour to God (in religion).↗ Example: The teacher praised me for my neat writing.↗ · Mum praised the dog when it sat.↗ · The firefighter was praised for his bravery.↗ · Her story got lots of praise.↗ · Praise your friends when they do well.↗ · Coming from Dad, that's high praise.↗ · Some praised him, and some blamed him.↗ · And in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto the LORD.↗ (Torah LEV.19.24, JPS 1917)↗ · And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.↗ (Torah GEN.12.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the mighty? who is like unto Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?↗ (Torah EXO.15.11, JPS 1917)↗ · A Psalm of praise; of David.↗ (Writings PSA.145.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Praise the LORD, O my soul.↗ (Writings PSA.146.1, JPS 1917)↗ · O God of my praise, keep not silence; (Writings PSA.109.1, JPS 1917)↗

praiseworthy — Everyday, meaning 1: Deserving praise; good and admirable.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Worth being approved of, even if not completely successful: «a praiseworthy effort».↗ Example: Lucy's honesty about the broken window was praiseworthy.↗ · Raising money for the animal shelter is a praiseworthy idea.↗ · It was a praiseworthy effort, even though we lost the match.↗ · The headteacher said the class's behaviour on the trip was praiseworthy.↗ · Helping a lost child is praiseworthy.↗ · Giving up your seat to an old person is a praiseworthy habit.↗ · He gave himself up entirely to the race, and ran with his house on his back, which was all, of course, very praiseworthy; and therefore he obtained the second prize."↗

pram — Everyday, meaning 1: A pram is a carriage with four wheels in which a baby lies down and is pushed along by an adult.↗ Example: Mum pushed the baby in his pram.↗ · Put the brake on the pram when you stop.↗ · The pram has a hood to keep off the sun.↗ · She fell asleep in her pram on the way home.↗ · We need a ramp to get the pram up the steps.↗ · The pram rolled away because the brake was off.↗ · In America they call it a baby carriage.↗ · My little sister is too big for the pram now.↗ · “Oh, no; girls, you know, are much too clever to fall out of their prams.”↗

prance — Everyday, meaning 1: To prance is to move in a lively, showy way, lifting the feet high, like a proud horse or a boastful person.↗ Example: He pranced around, holding his head high.↗ · The horses pranced along in armour.↗ · The peacock came prancing across the lawn.↗ · Hark! the whip, and hark! the rattling of the wheels; and prancing horses, and bounding chariots; (Prophets NAM.3.2, JPS 1917)↗ · Prance, ye horses, and rush madly, ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, that handle the shield, and the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow.↗ (Prophets JER.46.9, JPS 1917)↗

prank — Everyday, meaning 1: A prank is a trick played on someone to make people laugh.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To prank someone means to play such a trick on them.↗ Example: My brother played a prank on me and put a rubber spider in my bed.↗ · We laughed at the April Fools' Day prank.↗ · A prank that hurts someone is not funny.↗ · Never make prank calls to emergency numbers.↗ · He pranked his dad by hiding his slippers.↗ · Pulling a chair away as someone sits down is a dangerous prank.↗ · The class clown loved pranks.↗ · If a prank upsets someone, say sorry.↗ · He sent them into the woods and fields, but instead of looking for a nest they only played pranks on him.↗

prankster — Everyday, meaning 1: A prankster is a person who likes playing pranks — tricks or jokes on other people.↗ Example: My cousin is the family prankster.↗ · The prankster hid a rubber spider in the lunchbox.↗ · Everyone knew the prankster had swapped the salt and sugar.↗ · A good prankster knows when to stop.↗ · The teacher caught the prankster in the act.↗ · Some pranksters go too far and hurt people.↗

prate — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: To prate is to talk on and on in a boastful or silly way, saying little that is sensible.↗ Example: The wise in heart will receive commandments; but a prating fool shall fall.↗ (Writings PRO.10.8, JPS 1917)↗ · He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow; and a prating fool shall fall.↗ (Writings PRO.10.10, JPS 1917)↗ · Oh, prate away, said she.↗ · Hold your prating, said the Ogre.↗ · They prate pleasantly as they ride on the way.↗

prattle — Everyday, meaning 1: To prattle is to chatter on in a light, childish way.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Prattle is such chatter, especially of young children.↗ Example: Hold your prattling, said the Ogre.↗ · The children's prattle filled the room.↗ · The little boy prattled about his dog all day.↗

prawn — Everyday, meaning 1: A prawn is a small sea animal with a thin shell, long feelers and ten legs, which turns pink when cooked and is eaten as food.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (Australia, slang) «Don't come the raw prawn» means «don't try to fool me».↗ Example: We had prawn sandwiches at the beach.↗ · Prawns turn pink when you cook them.↗ · A prawn has ten legs.↗ · My sister is allergic to prawns.↗ · In Australia, people throw prawns on the barbie.↗ · (Australia, slang) «Don't come the raw prawn with me, mate!»↗ · We saw prawns in the rock pool.↗

pray — Everyday, meaning 1: To speak to God or a god, to give thanks, ask for help or say you are sorry.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To hope very strongly that something will happen.↗ e.g. "We prayed for sunshine on sports day."↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In old-fashioned English, pray can mean please.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: In old texts "pray" means "please" or "I beg you"; the Torah also uses it for speaking to God.↗ Example: Some families pray before they eat dinner.↗ · Muslims pray five times a day.↗ · Grandma prays for us every night.↗ · The farmers prayed for rain after the long dry summer.↗ · We were all praying that the bus would not be late.↗ · In assembly we learned how Hindus pray at a temple.↗ · He knelt down to pray in the church.↗ · "Take it pray, as a present!"↗ · I pray you give her unto him to wife.↗ (Torah GEN.34.8, JPS 1917)↗ · And he said: 'Show me, I pray Thee, Thy glory.'↗ (Torah EXO.33.18, JPS 1917)↗ · and said: 'Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee.↗ (Torah GEN.24.23, JPS 1917)↗ · And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying: (Prophets ISA.37.15, JPS 1917)↗ · I pray you, let us leave off this exaction.↗ (Writings NEH.5.10, JPS 1917)↗ · Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent?↗ (Writings JOB.4.7, JPS 1917)↗ · I pray you give her unto him to wife.↗ (Torah GEN.34.8, JPS 1917) · "Take it pray, as a present!"↗ (Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore) · And he said: 'Show me, I pray Thee, Thy glory.'↗ (Torah EXO.33.18, JPS 1917)

prayer — Everyday, meaning 1: A prayer is words that someone says to God or a god, to thank, praise or ask for help.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Prayer is the act of praying.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «Not have a prayer» means to have no chance at all.↗ Example: Grandpa says a prayer before every meal.↗ · The family bowed their heads in prayer.↗ · Muslims say prayers five times a day.↗ · We sang a prayer at assembly.↗ · The rain was the answer to the farmers' prayers.↗ · With that old bike, he doesn't have a prayer of winning.↗ · Little Gerda repeated the Lord's Prayer.↗ · A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet.↗ (Prophets HAB.3.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.↗ (Writings PSA.61.2, JPS 1917)↗ · The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.↗ (Writings PSA.72.20, JPS 1917)↗

preach — Everyday, meaning 1: (church) To give a religious talk, called a sermon, to people, usually in a church.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To tell others strongly that something is right and that they should do it: «preach kindness».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal, disapproving) To give advice or tell people what is right in an annoying, bossy way: «Stop preaching at me!».↗ Example: The vicar preached about forgiveness on Sunday.↗ · Jesus preached to crowds by the lake.↗ · Mum always says we should practise what we preach.↗ · Don't preach at me, I know I made a mistake.↗ · The coach preaches teamwork every training session.↗ · John the Baptist preached in the desert.↗ · Telling our class to recycle was preaching to the converted.↗ · They were going to hear the clergyman preach.↗ · 'Preach ye not', they preach; 'They shall not preach of these things, that they shall not take shame.'↗ (Prophets MIC.2.6, JPS 1917)↗ · I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, lo, I did not refrain my lips; O LORD, Thou knowest.↗ (Writings PSA.40.10, JPS 1917)↗ · 'Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and preach toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel; (Prophets EZK.21.7, JPS 1917)↗

preacher — Everyday, meaning 1: A person who gives religious talks (sermons), especially in a church.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, negative) A person who keeps telling others how they should behave: «Stop being such a preacher!».↗ Example: The preacher spoke to a crowd in the square.↗ · Our village preacher tells funny stories.↗ · The old preacher rode from town to town.↗ · My big sister is such a preacher about healthy food!↗ · "Practise what you preach," said Mum.↗ · The preacher's voice filled the church.↗ · Many preachers spoke out against slavery.↗ · It was dreadful to hear all that, for the preacher spoke from his heart, and all the people in the church were terrified.↗ · If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie: 'I will preach unto thee of wine and of strong drink'; he shall even be the preacher of this people.↗ (Prophets MIC.2.11, JPS 1917)↗

preaching — Everyday, meaning 1: (church) Giving religious talks or sermons; the work of a preacher.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The message that is preached: «Jesus's preaching about the kingdom of God».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal, disapproving) Telling others what is right in a bossy, lecturing way: «I'm tired of his preaching.».↗ Example: The minister's preaching was simple and kind.↗ · Jesus began preaching in Galilee.↗ · Mum said, «Less preaching, more helping!»↗ · John Wesley travelled the country preaching.↗ · She's preaching to the converted: we already recycle.↗ · Street preaching happens in the town square on Saturdays.↗ · But Kari said she thought the priest was such a good man at preaching that she got so much benefit from what he said, and at last she got leave.↗