Praise, n.
Etymology: [OE. preis, OF. preis price, worth, value, estimation. See Praise, v., Price.]
1. Commendation for worth; approval expressed; honor rendered because of excellence or worth; laudation; approbation. There are men who always confound the praise of goodness with the practice. Rambler.
Note: Praise may be expressed by an individual, and thus differs from fame, renown, and celebrity, which are always the expression of the approbation of numbers, or public commendation.
2. Especially, the joyful tribute of gratitude or homage rendered to the Divine Being; the act of glorifying or extolling the Creator; worship, particularly worship by song, distinction from prayer and other acts of worship; as, a service of praise.
3. The object, ground, or reason of praise. He is thy praise, and he is thy God. Deut. x.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Encomium; honor; eulogy; panegyric; plaudit; applause; acclaim; eclat; commendation; laudation.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Praise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Praised; p. pr. & vb. n. Praising.]
1. To commend; to applaud; to express approbation of; to laud; -- applied to a person or his acts. "I praise well thy wit." Chaucer. Let her own works praise her in the gates. Prov. xxxi. 31. We praise not Hector, though his name, we know, Is great in arms; 't is hard to praise a foe. Dryden.
2. To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of; -- applied especially to the Divine Being. Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts! Ps. cxlviii. 2.
3. To value; to appraise. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
Syn. -- To commend; laud; eulogize; celebrate; glorify; magnify. -- To Praise, Applaud, Extol. To praise is to set at high price; to applaud is to greet with clapping; to extol is to bear aloft, to exalt. We may praise in the exercise of calm judgment; we usually applaud from impulse, and on account of some specific act; we extol under the influence of high admiration, and usually in strong, if not extravagant, language.
Shades of meaning
Praise is the hearty approval of an individual, or of a number or multitude considered individually, and is expressed by spoken or written words; applause, the spontaneous outburst of many at once. Applause is expressed in any way, by stamping of feet, clapping of hands, waving of handkerchiefs, etc., as well as by the voice; acclamation is the spontaneous and hearty approval of many at once, and strictly by the voice alone. Thus one is chosen moderator by acclamation when he receives a unanimous viva voce vote; we could not say he was nominated by applause. Acclaim is the more poetic term for acclamation, commonly understood in a loftier sense; as, a nation's acclaim. Plaudit is a shout of applause, and is commonly used in the plural; as, the plaudits of a throng. Applause is also used in the general sense of praise. Approbation is a milder and more qualified word than praise; while praise is always uttered, approbation may be silent. "Approbation speaks of the thing or action.... Praise is always personal." A. W. AND J. C. HARE Guesses at Truth first series, p. 549. [MACM. '66.] Acceptance refers to an object or action; approbation may refer to character or natural traits. Approval always supposes a testing or careful examination, and frequently implies official sanction; approbation may be upon a general view. The industry and intelligence of a clerk win his employer's approbation; his decision in a special instance receives his approval. Praise is always understood as genuine and sincere, unless the contrary is expressly stated; compliment is a light form of praise that may or may not be sincere; flattery is insincere and ordinarily fulsome praise.