lord's prayer
MediumFormal, religious, literary
Definition
Meaning
The central Christian prayer taught by Jesus to his disciples, beginning 'Our Father...'
Any formal or traditional prayer; sometimes used metaphorically for a sincere, heartfelt plea or request.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always capitalized when referring to the specific Christian prayer. Can be used with or without the definite article ('the Lord's Prayer').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The text of the prayer itself has minor traditional variations (e.g., 'trespasses' vs. 'debts').
Connotations
Identical religious and cultural connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in the UK due to its inclusion in Anglican/state school assemblies.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] recited the Lord's Prayer.The service included the Lord's Prayer.They opened with the Lord's Prayer.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not my Lord's Prayer (i.e., not my concern or responsibility)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear metaphorically: 'His proposal was like a Lord's Prayer for the failing department.'
Academic
Used in theological, historical, or literary studies discussing Christian texts and practices.
Everyday
Used in religious contexts, or when referring to a common, known text (e.g., 'Everyone knows the Lord's Prayer.').
Technical
Used in liturgics (the study of worship) to refer to a specific liturgical text.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The vicar will Lord's-Prayer the congregation into a state of reflection. (extremely rare/poetic)
American English
- He practically Lord's-Prayered his way through the crisis. (extremely rare/metaphorical)
adverb
British English
- He spoke Lord's-Prayer-softly. (highly poetic/inventive)
American English
- They prayed Lord's-Prayer-fervently. (highly poetic/inventive)
adjective
British English
- The Lord's-Prayer moment brought silence to the hall. (rare, attributive use)
American English
- She had a Lord's-Prayer sincerity about her plea. (rare, attributive use)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We say the Lord's Prayer in church.
- Can you say the Lord's Prayer?
- The children learned the Lord's Prayer at school.
- The ceremony ended with the Lord's Prayer.
- Reciting the Lord's Prayer in Latin requires careful pronunciation.
- His speech wasn't a political manifesto; it was a Lord's Prayer for national unity.
- The theologian's exegesis of the Lord's Prayer revealed layers of eschatological meaning.
- The film's poignant finale served as a secular Lord's Prayer for lost innocence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
LORD'S PRAYER: Learn Our Request Delivered Safely - Prayers Reach All, Yielding Eternal Relief.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PRAYER IS A PATH (to God); A SACRED TEXT IS A FOUNDATION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'Господня молитва' – the standard term is 'Молитва Господня'.
- Do not confuse with 'Отче наш', which is the opening phrase, not the title.
Common Mistakes
- Writing 'Lords Prayer' (missing apostrophe).
- Using lowercase ('lord's prayer').
- Confusing it with other prayers like the Hail Mary.
Practice
Quiz
What is the opening line of the traditional English version of the Lord's Prayer?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when referring to the specific Christian prayer, it is a proper noun and should be capitalized.
They are synonyms. 'The Lord's Prayer' is the more common title in English, while 'the Our Father' (from its Latin name 'Pater Noster') refers to the same prayer, often in Catholic contexts.
Yes, metaphorically. It can describe any earnest, fundamental, or heartfelt request, e.g., 'His manifesto was a Lord's Prayer for economic reform.'
Different Christian traditions (e.g., Catholic, Protestant) use slightly different translations from the original Greek texts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, leading to variations in wording like 'trespasses' vs. 'sins' vs. 'debts'.