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Definitions for: Pray [v] call upon in supplication; entreat; "I beg you to stop!"
[v] address God; say a prayer
Webster (1913) Definition: Pray, n. & v.
See Pry. [Obs.] --Spenser.
Pray, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prayed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Praying.] [OE. preien, OF. preier, F. prier, L. precari,
fr. prex, precis, a prayer, a request; akin to Skr. prach to
ask, AS. frignan, fr[=i]nan, fricgan, G. fragen, Goth.
fra['i]hnan. Cf. Deprecate, Imprecate, Precarious.]
To make request with earnestness or zeal, as for something
desired; to make entreaty or supplication; to offer prayer to
a deity or divine being as a religious act; specifically, to
address the Supreme Being with adoration, confession,
supplication, and thanksgiving.
And to his goddess pitously he preyde. --Chaucer.
When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly. --Matt. vi. 6.
I pray, or (by ellipsis) Pray, I beg; I request; I
entreat you; -- used in asking a question, making a
request, introducing a petition, etc.; as, Pray, allow me
to go.
I pray, sir. why am I beaten? --Shak.
Syn: To entreat; supplicate; beg; implore; invoke; beseech;
petition.
Pray, v. t.
1. To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat;
to implore; to beseech.
And as this earl was preyed, so did he. --Chaucer.
We pray you . . . by ye reconciled to God. --2 Cor.
v. 20.
2. To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication;
to entreat for.
I know not how to pray your patience. --Shak.
3. To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out
of purgatory. --Milman.
To pray in aid. (Law)
(a) To call in as a helper one who has an interest in the
cause. --Bacon.
(b) A phrase often used to signify claiming the benefit of
an argument. See under Aid. --Mozley & W.
Synonyms: beg, implore
See Also: beg off, commune, crave, excuse, importune, insist, plead, supplicate
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