prie-dieu

views updated May 14 2018

prie-dieu / prē ˈdyə(r); -ˈdyœ/ • n. (pl. prie-dieux / ˈdyə(r)(z); -ˈdyœ(z)/ ) a piece of furniture for use during prayer, consisting of a kneeling surface and a narrow upright front with a rest for the elbows or for books.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

prie-dieu

views updated May 23 2018

prie-dieu a piece of furniture for use during prayer, consisting of a kneeling surface and a narrow upright front with a rest for the elbows or for books. Recorded from the mid 18th century, the phrase is French and means literally ‘pray God’.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

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