Modifies a noun

• platitude: Stood beside him putting forth his own pious platitudes was Tony Blair.

• devotion: It may be that sometimes it is just a pious devotion with no deep theological background.

• sentiment: These are not mere pious sentiments but the very promises of God on which we all depend.

• founder: Even today La Cartuja is still giving up the secrets of its pious founders ' past.

• fraud: A great deal of pious fraud went on in writings of the ancient world.

Modifying Another Word

• very: The purpose of the European Union is a very divine purpose, a very pious purpose, a very religious purpose.

• too: Sergeant, still in contemplative mode, chips in that we should not get too pious about a low turnout.

• so: He was revered by many as a saint because he was so pious.

• not: She was rather stout than otherwise, and she was not pious; moreover, she was not anxious on Jim's account.

• deeply: At the same time the author concedes that he was not deeply pious.

Used with adjective complement

• become: However, Allah has made fasting compulsory so that we become pious, God-fearing and God-conscious.

• sound: It sounds so pious to say, 'I'll just rely on the Lord ' , but it isn't Scriptural.

• get: Sergeant, still in contemplative mode, chips in that we should not get too pious about a low turnout.