Hail Mary

Definitions

1. A prayer, of established or conventional wording, calling for the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
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

Equivalents

10 more languages

GaeilgeAn tÁivé Máiriais é do Bheatha, a Mhuire

Magyarüdvözlégy

日本語アヴェ・マリア天使祝詞聖母マリアへの祈り

한국어성모 기도성모송아베 마리아

LatinaAve MarīaAve Maria

Nederlandsweesgegroetje

PolskiZdrowaś Maryjozdrowaśka

Portuguêsave-maria

РусскийА́ве Мари́я

TagalogAba Ginoong Maria

Examples

““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.”

“And if I say⟳ ten Hail Marys / Leave⟳ a light⟳ on in Heaven for me”

“Hail Mary deal⟳”

“There are hundreds of plays and combinations, plus a great two-player mode. This guide⟳ should tell⟳ you which plays work⟳ best and when to use⟳ them. Grab⟳ a hot-dog and take⟳ to the stands for a few Hail Marys followed by a quick Toss and Pass⟳.”

“Silk Road was, in some sense⟳, a last⟳ heave—a Hail Mary in the parlance of Ross's football-mad hometown.”

“Trump administration files Hail Mary appeal to derail youth climate lawsuit [title]”

“SoundCloud finally secured a Hail Mary deal⟳ that included $170 million of new funding from the Raine Group and Singapore’s Temasek in August of 2017.”

““I have⟳ traveled across continents to come⟳ to the jungle to do psychedelics,” marveled Mr. Gonsior, who had steered clear from drugs his whole life. “I guess⟳ this is what might be considered a Hail Mary.””

“With each passing day, Facebook’s metaverse aspirations look⟳ more like⟳ a Hail Mary fantasy, a beleaguered CEO’s escape⟳ attempt⟳ to a 3-D virtual world where he might leave⟳ behind the misery of his dull 2-D version.”

CEFR level