prie-dieu

prie-dieu
/pree"dyoo"/; Fr. /prddee dyue"/, n., pl. prie-dieus, prie-dieux /-dyooz"/, Fr. prie-dieu.
a piece of furniture for kneeling on during prayer, having a rest above, as for a book.
[1750-60; < F: lit., pray God]

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      praying desk for one individual with a knee bench close to the floor and a vertical panel supporting an armrest, below which there is usually a shelf for prayer books and the like. The knee rest and arm support are often upholstered.

      First used by the higher clergy during religious services in the early European Middle Ages, the prie-dieu became popular in the 19th century owing to the Gothic Revival and to a pietistic passion for family prayers. During this period their secular use was extended by the introduction of prie-dieu (or devotional) chairs, which followed the general shape of the purely religious version but extended the knee rest to form a low seat.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • prie-Dieu — [ pridjø ] n. m. inv. • 1603; de prier et Dieu ♦ Siège bas, au dossier terminé en accoudoir, sur lequel on s agenouille pour prier. « Il s échappait se prosterner sur les prie Dieu de paille » (Aragon). ● prie Dieu nom masculin invariable Meuble… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • prie-dieu — [prē′dyo͞o΄] n. [Fr < prier, to pray + Dieu, God] a narrow, upright frame with a lower ledge for kneeling on at prayer and an upper ledge, as for a book …   English World dictionary

  • prie-dieu — (pri dieu) s. m. 1°   Sorte de pupitre qui a pour base un marchepied, où l on s agenouille pour prier Dieu. •   Cet humble et triste asile de la pénitence, qui ne contient qu un crucifix, une tête de mort, un prie Dieu, une chaise de bois et un… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • prié-dieu — I. Prié Dieu. s. m. Sorte de pupitre sur lequel on s appuye en priant Dieu, & qui est accompagné d un marche pied où l on s agenoüille. On avoit mis un prié Dieu au milieu de l Eglise. le prié Dieu estoit couvert de velours. On appelle, Croix de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Prie-dieu — A prie dieu (French: literally, pray [to] God ) is a type of prayer desk primarily intended for private devotional use, but also often found in churches of the European continent. It is a small ornamental wooden desk furnished with a sloping… …   Wikipedia

  • PRIE-DIEU — s. m. Sorte de pupitre au bas duquel est un marchepied, où l on s agenouille pour prier Dieu. On avait mis un prie Dieu au milieu de l église. Le prie Dieu était couvert d un tapis de velours. On avait préparé trois prie Dieu …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)

  • prie-Dieu —    Se mettre à genoux sur un prie Dieu : dites, prié Dieu , s. m …   Dictionnaire grammatical du mauvais langage

  • prie-dieu — noun /pɹiːˈdjəː/ A piece of furniture on which someone can pray, consisting of a cushioned area to kneel on, with a built in ledge for books. Leaning her childish face and full chin on the shelf of the prie Dieu, her eyes fixed, she laughed, out… …   Wiktionary

  • prie-dieu — /ˈpri djɜ/ (say pree dyer) noun (plural prie dieux or prie dieus) a piece of furniture for kneeling on during prayer, having a rest above, as for a book. {French: pray God} …  

  • prie-dieu — noun (plural prie dieux) Etymology: French, literally, pray God Date: 1760 1. a kneeling bench designed for use by a person at prayer and fitted with a raised shelf on which the elbows or a book may be rested 2. a low armless upholstered chair… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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