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supplicatory phrase

Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A humble, earnest phrase that pleads for help, mercy, divine grace, or favor, characterized by deferential language, petitionary tone, and expressions of need or devotion, often found in prayers, religious poetry, and appeals to higher powers or authorities.

Detailed Definition
Supplicatory phrases embody vulnerability and faith, often addressing divine or natural forces; their syntax bends low through modifiers like “humble,” “merciful,” or “gracious,” framing the speaker as dependent and the addressee as sovereign.
Example
Example in poetry:
Supplicatory phrase: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness” (Psalm 51:1, central to penitential poetry); “Lord, save me, I perish” (Matthew 14:30, cited in devotional sonnets); “Lend me the voice of rivers to speak what words fail” (contemporary eco-poetic entreaty); “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Lord’s Prayer, foundational in liturgical verse); “Grant my hands the skill to mend what I have broken” (modern plea blending humility and craft)
Additional Notes
Supplicatory phrases are humble pleas: “Grant me strength, O Lord”; they express vulnerability and dependence; use subjunctive mood and formal diction; avoid entitlement—emphasize humility; related to petitionary phrase, beseeching phrase, and votive phrase; ideal for poems of prayer, crisis, or spiritual need.
Also Known As
plea supplication humble request
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