Search Result for "pray": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (2)

1. address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer;
- Example: "pray to the Lord"

2. call upon in supplication; entreat;
- Example: "I beg you to stop!"
[syn: beg, implore, pray]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pray \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[imac]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. [1913 Webster] And to his goddess pitously he preyde. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] I pray, sir. why am I beaten? --Shak. [1913 Webster] Syn: To entreat; supplicate; beg; implore; invoke; beseech; petition. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pray \Pray\, v. t. 1. To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to implore; to beseech. [1913 Webster] And as this earl was preyed, so did he. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] We pray you . . . by ye reconciled to God. --2 Cor. v. 20. [1913 Webster] 2. To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for. [1913 Webster] I know not how to pray your patience. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out of purgatory. --Milman. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pray \Pray\, n. & v. See Pry. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

pray v 1: address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer; "pray to the Lord" 2: call upon in supplication; entreat; "I beg you to stop!" [syn: beg, implore, pray]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

55 Moby Thesaurus words for "pray": I beg you, adjure, appeal, appeal to, apply to, ask, be good enough, beg, beseech, brace, call for help, call on, call upon, circulate a petition, clamor for, commune with God, conjure, crave, cry for, cry on, cry to, do, entreat, give thanks, have the goodness, if you please, impetrate, implore, importune, imprecate, invoke, kneel to, make supplication, memorialize, obtest, offer a prayer, petition, plead, plead for, plead with, please, pray do, pray over, prefer a petition, prithee, recite the rosary, request, return thanks, run to, say grace, sign a petition, solicit, sue, supplicate, will you
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

PRAY, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.