pray
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pray
(prā)v. prayed, pray·ing, prays
v.intr.
To utter or address a prayer or prayers to a deity or an object of worship, often as an entreaty: people praying in the pews of the church; people praying for divine guidance; people praying for their loved ones.
v.tr.
1. To use prayer to request (that something may happen): The congregation prayed that the drought would end soon. The child prayed to be more considerate of others.
2. To say (a prayer or group of prayers): pray the rosary.
3. To make a devout or earnest request for: I pray your forgiveness.
4. To utter or say a prayer or prayers to; address by prayer: "I pray Heaven that I never may forget the dear girl" (Charles Dickens).
5. Archaic To ask (someone) imploringly for something; beseech. Used chiefly in the phrase I pray you to introduce a polite or urgent request or question: I pray you be careful.
adv.
Used to make a polite or urgent request or question: Pray don't apologize.
[Middle English preien, from Old French preier, from Latin precārī, from precēs, pl. of *prex, prayer; see prek- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pray
(preɪ)vb
1. (when: intr, often foll by for; when tr, usually takes a clause as object) 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. (tr) rare to accomplish or bring by praying: to pray a soul into the kingdom.
interj
archaic I beg you; please: pray, leave us alone.
[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]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pray
(preɪ)v.t.
1. to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to (God or an object of worship).
2. to offer (a prayer).
3. to make earnest petition to (a person).
4. to make entreaty for; crave: I pray your forgiveness.
5. to bring, put, etc., by praying: to pray a soul into heaven.
v.i. 6. to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to God or to an object of worship; engage in prayer.
7. to make entreaty to a person or for a thing.
[1250–1300; Middle English preien < Old French preier « Latin precārī to beg, pray, derivative of prex (s. prec-) prayer]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
pray
Past participle: prayed
Gerund: praying
| Imperative |
|---|
| pray |
| pray |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | pray - address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer; "pray to the Lord" commune - communicate intimately with; be in a state of heightened, intimate receptivity; "He seemed to commune with nature" |
| 2. |  pray - call upon in supplication; entreat; "I beg you to stop!"crave - plead or ask for earnestly supplicate - ask humbly (for something); "He supplicated the King for clemency" plead - appeal or request earnestly; "I pleaded with him to stop" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pray
verb
1. say your prayers, offer a prayer, recite the rosary He spent his time in prison praying and studying.
2. beg, ask, plead, petition, urge, request, sue, crave, invoke, call upon, cry, solicit, implore, beseech, entreat, importune, adjure, supplicate They prayed for help.
Quotations
"pray: to ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]
"pray: to ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
pray
verb1. To offer a reverent petition to God or a god:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَتَضَرَّع، يَبْتَهِليُصَلّييُصَلِّي
pregarresar
modlit seorodovat
bede
rukoillaanoapyytää
moliti
imádkozik
biîja, fara meî bænvona innilega
祈る祈祷する祈願する請う願う
기도하다
melstimelstispoteriaipoteriauti
izteikt/skaitīt lūgšanuļoti cerētļoti lūgt
bebede
modliť saorodovať
moliti
bebedja
สวดมนต์
cầu nguyện
pray
[preɪ]A. VI (= say prayers) → rezar, orar
let us pray → oremos
to pray to God → rogar a Dios
to pray for sth/sb → rezar or rogar por algo/algn
to pray for sb's soul → rezar por el alma de algn
we prayed for rain → rezamos para que lloviera
she's past praying for! → ¡con ella ya no hay nada que hacer!, ¡no tiene salvación!
let us pray → oremos
to pray to God → rogar a Dios
to pray for sth/sb → rezar or rogar por algo/algn
to pray for sb's soul → rezar por el alma de algn
we prayed for rain → rezamos para que lloviera
she's past praying for! → ¡con ella ya no hay nada que hacer!, ¡no tiene salvación!
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
pray
[ˈpreɪ] vi (RELIGION) → prier
to pray to God → prier Dieu
to pray for sth → prier pour qch
to pray (that) ... → prier pour que ...
to pray to God → prier Dieu
to pray for sth → prier pour qch
to pray (that) ... → prier pour que ...
(= hope) → prier
to pray for sth → prier pour qch
to pray (that) ... → prier pour que ...
I pray that she'll never find out → Je prie pour qu'elle ne découvre jamais la vérité.
to hope and pray (that) ...
I just hope and pray everything goes well → Je me contente d'espérer et de prier pour que tout se passe bien.
to pray for sth → prier pour qch
to pray (that) ... → prier pour que ...
I pray that she'll never find out → Je prie pour qu'elle ne découvre jamais la vérité.
to hope and pray (that) ...
I just hope and pray everything goes well → Je me contente d'espérer et de prier pour que tout se passe bien.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
pray
vi
vt (old, liter) → inständig bitten, ersuchen (geh); I pray you tell me (old) → bitte, erzählen Sie mir doch; (stronger) → ich bitte Sie inständig, erzählen Sie mir doch; and what is that, I pray you? → und was ist das, wenn ich mir die Frage gestatten darf?; they prayed the king for mercy → sie flehten den König um Gnade an (geh)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
pray
[preɪ] vi (say prayers) → pregareto pray to God → pregare Dio
to pray for sb/sth → pregare per qn/qc
to pray for forgiveness → implorare il perdono
we are praying for good weather → preghiamo che faccia bello
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
pray
(prei) verb1. to speak reverently to God or a god in order to express thanks, make a request etc. Let us pray; She prayed to God to help her.
2. to hope earnestly. Everybody is praying for rain.
ˈprayer noun (an) act of praying. a book of prayer; The child said his prayers; My prayers have been answered (=I've got what I desired).
pray is a verb: to pray (not prey) for peace.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
pray
→ يُصَلِّي modlit se bede beten προσεύχομαι rezar rukoilla prier moliti pregare 祈る 기도하다 bidden be pomodlić się rezar молиться be สวดมนต์ dua etmek cầu nguyện 祈祷Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
pray
vi rezar, orarEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.