in antiquity, properly signifies prayer; but it is taken for the places of prayer of the Jews, and was pretty near the same as their synagogues. But the synagogues were originally in the cities, and were covered places: whereas, for the most part, the proecutes were out of the cities, and on the banks of rivers; having no covering, except perhaps the shade of some trees or covered galleries. The word is Greek, προσευχή prayer.