Pray
Pray , noun and verb
Pray , intransitive verb
[Old English preien, Old French preier, French prier, Latin precari, from prex, precis, a prayer, a request; akin to Sanskrit prach to ask, Anglo-Saxon frignan, frīnan, fricgan, German fragen, Gothic fraíhnan. Compare 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.
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.
I pray, sir. why am I beaten?
Collocations (1)
I pray or 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.
Pray , transitive verb
1.
To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to implore; to beseech.
And as this earl was preyed, so did he.
We pray you... by ye reconciled to God.
2.
To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
I know not how to pray your patience.
3.
To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out of purgatory. — Milman
Collocations (1)
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