Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - prayer

~ n 1 words that you say when praying to God, especially a fixed form of words  (We all had to say our prayers before going to bed.) + for  (a prayer for the deceased) 2 the act of praying or the regular habit of praying  (the power of prayer | a prayer meeting | in prayer (=praying))  (The congregation knelt in prayer.) 3 a wish or hope that something will happen  (Nadia's one prayer is that the children won't suffer.) 4 prayers a regular religious meeting in a church, school etc, at which people pray together  (Prayers are at o'clock.) 5 not have a prayer informal to have no chance of succeeding  (I hadn't done any work for the exam, and I knew I didn't have a prayer.) 6 sb's prayers are answered informal used to say that someone has got something that they wanted very much  (I thought all my prayers were answered when I got that job.)  (- see also Lord's Prayer)