1. need, indigence (Psalm 21:25 (); Aeschines dial. 2, 39f; (Plato, Eryx. 405 e. bis); Aristotle, rhet. 2, 7 (ii., p. 1385a, 27)).

2. a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty (from Plato down); in the N. T. requests addressed by men to God (German Bittgebet, supplication); universally: James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12; as often in the Sept., joined with προσευχή (i. e. any pious address to God (see below)): Acts 1:14 Rec.; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; plural 2 Timothy 1:3; joined with προσευχαί, 1 Timothy 5:5; with νηστειαι, Luke 2:37; ποιεῖσθαι δέησιν, Philippians 1:4; ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, Luke 5:33; 1 Timothy 2:1. contextually, of prayers imploring God's aid in some particular matter: Luke 1:13; Philippians 1:19; plural Hebrews 5:7; supplication for others: (2 Corinthians 1:11); περί τίνος, Ephesians 6:18; ὑπέρ τίνος, 2 Corinthians 9:14; Philippians 1:4; with the addition πρός τόν Θεόν, Romans 10:1. [SYNONYMS: δέησις, προσευχή, ἔντευξις: προσευχή, as Prof. Grimm remarks, is unrestricted as respects its contents, while δέησις is petitionary; moreover προσευχή is a word of sacred character, being limited to prayer to God, whereas δέησις may also be used of a request addressed to man. In Byzantine Greek it is used of a written supplication (like our petition); cf. Sophocles Lexicon, under the word. See more at length Trench, § li.; also Lightfoot on Philippians 4:6; Ellicott on Ephesians 6:18; cf. Schmidt, chapter vii. In 1 Timothy 2:1 to these two words is added ἔντευξις, which expresses confiding access to God; thus, in combination, δέησις gives prominence to the expression of personal need, προσευχή to the element of devotion, ἔντευξις to that of childlike confidence, by representing prayer as the heart's converse with God. See Huther's extended note at the passage; Ellicott at the passage; Trench, as above]