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Hail mary
Definitions
- 1 A prayer, of established or conventional wording, calling for the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
"“What did the priest, and all of you, keep on saying when we first went in?” / “Our Fathers, Hail Maries, and Glorias; couldn’t you hear?” asked Emily, laughing. / “No, I should think not, you rattled on so fast- What are Hail Maries and Glorias?” / “The Gloria you know well enough, my dear, because you say it in your church at the end of every psalm,” replied Miss Horton; “the Hail Mary is a prayer to our Blessed Lady,” and she repeated it."
- 2 A risky last-ditch effort with great benefit but little chance of success; one whose success would require divine intervention; a Hail Mary pass. US, attributive, figuratively, usually
"Hail Mary deal"
- 1 To pray by saying a Hail Mary. often, reflexive
"He Hail Maryed himself to sleep every night and woke up Hail Marying in the morning, and to his amazement and delight it worked."
Etymology
From Middle English Heil Marie. The extended figurative sense alludes to the notion of saying a prayer that the action will succeed.
From Middle English Heil Marie. The extended figurative sense alludes to the notion of saying a prayer that the action will succeed.
See also for "hail mary"
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