pray

[prey]

verb (used with object)

1. to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to (God or an object of worship).

2. to offer (a prayer).

3. to bring, put, etc., by praying.

   to pray a soul into heaven.

4. to make earnest petition to (a person).

   Synonyms: implore, implore, beseech, beseech, beg, supplicate, entreat, importune

5. to make petition or entreaty for; crave.

   She prayed his forgiveness.

6. to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to God or to an object of worship.

7. to enter into spiritual communion with God or an object of worship through prayer.

verb (used without object)

1. to make entreaty or supplication, as to a person or for a thing.

verb phrase

1. pray tell.,  pray tell.

pray

/ preɪ /

verb

1. to utter prayers (to God or other object of worship)

   we prayed to God for the sick child

2. (when tr, usually takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to make an earnest entreaty (to or for); beg or implore

   she prayed to be allowed to go

   leave, I pray you

3. rare,  (tr) to accomplish or bring by praying

   to pray a soul into the kingdom

interjection

1. archaic,  I beg you; please

   pray, leave us alone

Other Word Forms

• prayingly adverb
• outpray verb (used with object)
• unpraying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pray¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English preien, from Old French preier, ultimately derived from Latin precārī “to beg, pray,” derivative of prex (stem prec- ) prayer; akin to Old English fricgan, Dutch vragen, German fragen, Gothic fraihnan “to ask”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pray¹

C13: from Old French preier, from Latin precārī to implore, from prex an entreaty; related to Old English fricgan, Old High German frāgēn to ask, Old Norse fregna to enquire

Example Sentences

I’ll pray for a former manager when I was waiting tables when I was 24, 25 years old.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"People started shouting. I was up to my neck in water. I clung to a piece of wood and prayed," Mpambi remembered.

Read more on Barron's

"The government shutdown has a huge impact and it's really scary, I just pray that it all goes away."

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Aderyn, 10, said she is "praying" that her sister's ashes have not been damaged.

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“When I saw the news, I cried, hugged my children and prayed,” said Mari Carmen Bermúdez, 34, a supermarket cashier in Caracas.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ask 
• beseech 
• recite 
• urge