What's the difference between petition and prayer?

Petition


Definition:

  • (n.) A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.
  • (n.) A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; -- in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document.
  • (v. t.) To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor.
  • (v. i.) To make a petition or solicitation.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Responding to a “We the People” petition, launched after Snowden’s initial leaks were published in the Guardian two years ago, the Obama administration on Tuesday reiterated its belief that he should face criminal charges for his actions.
  • (2) • Queen Margaret Union, one of the University of Glasgow's two student unions, says 200 students there are marching on the principal's office at the moment to present an anti-cuts petition.
  • (3) The bench rejected the petition seeking prosecution for offending Hindus, saying it was a work of art and citing India's tradition of graphic sexual iconography.
  • (4) Some art experts have petitioned against Seracini drilling through the Vasari fresco, claiming any paint found behind might have been left by another artist.
  • (5) Nearly 740,000 people have signed a petition calling for an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia, organised by the campaign group Avaaz.
  • (6) Monday's petition showdown is a chance to demonstrate they have the popular support to back up those claims.
  • (7) Cameron made clear in his speech that Britain remains committed to the individual right to petition.
  • (8) Differently from generalised non convulsive seizures (like petit mal absences), their first appearance has no typical age limit, however, their proportion to other forms of seizures increases in adolescence and adults especially between the third and fifth decade of life.
  • (9) Induction of petite (cytoplasmic-respiration-deficient, rho-,rho-) mutations in yeast and deletion of mitochondrial drug-resistance genetic markers were compared after after treatment with ethidium and the corresponding photoaffinity probe, ethidium azide.
  • (10) Signing up Round-robin emails encouraging web users to sign e-petitions have attracted hundreds of thousands of signatures.
  • (11) Releasing Eric Garner grand jury papers 'would help restore public trust' Read more A petition from the the New York Civil Liberties Union and others had called for the release of the grand jury transcripts, including testimony by Daniel Pantaleo, the New York police officer involved in the incident.
  • (12) In terms of education, a representative of the Born Free Foundation once pointed out, out of millions of visitors to zoos in Europe, only 2% signed a bushmeat petition.
  • (13) Of course, saying this even while petitioning for easier repayment on Greece's mountain of debt is just another example of austerity's topsy-turvyism.
  • (14) In a relatively high proportion of the transformants, disruption of the 17-kDa gene was accompanied by the appearance of a second mutation causing a petite phenotype.
  • (15) Ursula K Le Guin, who gained significant author support for her petition calling for "the principle of copyright, which is directly threatened by the settlement, [to] be honoured and upheld in the United States", also opted out.
  • (16) In disorders of petit mal epilepsy and parkinsonian tremor, centrally and peripherally observable rhythmic patterns are due to network oscillations of thalamocortical cells.
  • (17) It’s time to speak out, to bring this impunity to an end, time for men to change their behaviour rather than for women to adapt to it,” the petition says.
  • (18) None had petit mal, confirming its rarity in the elderly.
  • (19) Ureterosigmoidostomy with anti-reflux technique (Petit-Leadbetter procedure) was performed in 12 children, mainly after failure to repair an exstrophy.
  • (20) With 66,000 signatures on a petition after four days, immigration minister Peter Dutton cancelled Allen’s visa.

Prayer


Definition:

  • (n.) One who prays; a supplicant.
  • (v. i.) The act of praying, or of asking a favor; earnest request or entreaty; hence, a petition or memorial addressed to a court or a legislative body.
  • (v. i.) The act of addressing supplication to a divinity, especially to the true God; the offering of adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving to the Supreme Being; as, public prayer; secret prayer.
  • (v. i.) The form of words used in praying; a formula of supplication; an expressed petition; especially, a supplication addressed to God; as, a written or extemporaneous prayer; to repeat one's prayers.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Tolokonnikova was given a two-year sentence for her part in Pussy Riot's "punk prayer" in Moscow's largest cathedral, calling on the Virgin Mary to "kick out Putin".
  • (2) The Chiefs chairman and chief executive, Clark Hunt, released a statement that said: "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and everyone affected by the heartbreaking events of last Saturday.
  • (3) Tragedy was averted because there was a little delay as the prayers did not commence in earnest and the bomb strapped to the body of the girl went off and killed her,” he added.
  • (4) His "Oh God" prayer was actually written after the England team failed in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but is likely to be useful in all future tournaments as well.
  • (5) King was 16th on an official programme that included the national anthem, the invocation, a prayer, a tribute to women, two sets of songs and nine other speakers.
  • (6) Video of Mecca pilgrim on 'hoverboard' divides opinion Read more The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, whose country is home to tens of millions of Muslims, said on Twitter: “My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives in the crane crash in Mecca.
  • (7) In the silence, I heard a car reversing in the courtyard and then the Þrst slow notes of the call to prayer.
  • (8) US agricultural secretary Tom Vilsack said: "I get on my knees every day, and I'm saying an extra prayer right now.
  • (9) Our fast will continue for as long as we prayerfully discern that we stand in need of repentance as a Church.
  • (10) They marched to the police roadblock, and performed a 21-gun salute for a fallen veteran and a prayer ceremony on the bridge.
  • (11) Pittman later told the AFP news agency: “She wanted to pay tribute, she loves this city.” Facebook Twitter Pinterest Madonna and son David sing Like a Prayer at the place de la République in Paris.
  • (12) "The thoughts and prayers of all in the taskforce are with his family and friends at this tragic time."
  • (13) He looks heavenward in prayer: "Pardon, Richard; they know not what they do."
  • (14) "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this very sad time."
  • (15) The prayer appeals for “grace to debate the issues in this referendum with honesty and openness”.
  • (16) For example, he is able to use the school's washing facilities and do a daily prayer at lunchtime if he wishes, entirely at his own discretion.
  • (17) He was speaking as 670 bishops prepared to leave the University of Kent campus after 18 days of reflection, prayers, conversations and efforts to hold a divided communion together.
  • (18) In the past week, much has been made of her quoting St Francis of Assisi's prayer, in her first words from Downing Street in 1979.
  • (19) We ask all of you to hold the victims, their families, and all those affected in your hearts and prayers.” Take That, who were playing a show at the Liverpool Echo Arena when the attack happened, cancelled the following night’s show in the city and postponed the dates they were due to play in Manchester on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
  • (20) In Paris Femen activists protested nude in front of the Tunisian embassy, mimicking the Muslim prayer in the street.