Pratique
(Prat"ique) n. [F.; cf. It. pratica, Sp. practica. See Practice.]
1. (Com.) Primarily, liberty of converse; intercourse; hence, a certificate, given after compliance with
quarantine regulations, permitting a ship to land passengers and crew; — a term used particularly in the
south of Europe.
2. Practice; habits. [Obs.] "One of English education and pratique." R. North.
Prattle
(Prat"tle) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prattled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Prattling ] [Freq. of prate.] To talk
much and idly; to prate; hence, to talk lightly and artlessly, like a child; to utter child's talk.
Prattle
(Prat"tle), v. t. To utter as prattle; to babble; as, to prattle treason. Addison.
Prattle
(Prat"tle), n. Trifling or childish tattle; empty talk; loquacity on trivial subjects; prate; babble.
Mere prattle, without practice.
Shak. Prattlement
(Prat"tle*ment) n. Prattle. [R.] Jeffrey.
Prattler
(Prat"tler) n. One who prattles. Herbert.
Pravity
(Prav"i*ty) n. [L. pravitas, from pravus crooked, perverse.] Deterioration; degeneracy; corruption; especially,
moral crookedness; moral perversion; perverseness; depravity; as, the pravity of human nature. "The pravity
of the will." South.
Prawn
(Prawn) n. [OE. prane, of unknown origin; cf. L. perna a sea mussel.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous
species of large shrimplike Crustacea having slender legs and long antennæ. They mostly belong to the
genera Pandalus, Palæmon, Palæmonetes, and Peneus, and are much used as food. The common
English prawn is Palæmon serratus.
The name is often applied to any large shrimp.
Praxinoscope
(Prax*in"o*scope) n. [Gr. action + -scope.] (Opt.) An instrument, similar to the phenakistoscope,
for presenting to view, or projecting upon a screen, images the natural motions of real objects.
Praxis
(Prax"is) n. [NL., fr. Gr. fr. to do. See Practice.]
1. Use; practice; especially, exercise or discipline for a specific purpose or object. "The praxis and theory
of music." Wood.
2. An example or form of exercise, or a collection of such examples, for practice.
Pray
(Pray) n. & v. See Pry. [Obs.] Spenser.
Pray
(Pray) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prayed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Praying.] [OE. preien, OF. preier, F. prier,
L. precari, fr. prex, precis, a prayer, a request; akin to Skr. prach to ask, AS. frignan, frinan, fricgan,
G. fragen, Goth. fraíhnan. Cf. Deprecate, Imprecate, Precarious.] To make request with earnestness
or zeal, as for something desired; to make entreaty or supplication; to offer prayer to a deity or divine
being as a religious act; specifically, to address the Supreme Being with adoration, confession, supplication,
and thanksgiving.
And to his goddess pitously he preyde.
Chaucer.
When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is
in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matt. vi. 6.
