pray

present singular third person prays · participle present praying · participle past prayed · past prayed

1. lifestyleTo direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to a deity or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc.

   Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca.

   3 more examples

   Pray to the small gods and hope that they may hear thee. Yet what mercy should the small gods have, who themselves made Death and Pain; or shall they restrain their old hound Time for thee?

   1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC

   This can't happen. You can't die! You're the Emissary! [...] Captain, I know my beliefs make you uncomfortable around me sometimes, and that maybe that's why you keep me at arm's length. But I don't care about that right now, and I am going to pray, because I don't know what else to do.

   1995, David Mack & John J. Ordover, “Starship Down”, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 4, episode 7, spoken by Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

   The critically low level of rainfall in the second half of 2020 – approaching 50% year on year for November – led the religious affairs directorate to instruct imams and their congregations to pray for rain last month.

   2021 January 13, Bethan McKernan, “Turkey drought: Istanbul could run out of water in 45 days”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2021

2. To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
3. obsoleteTo ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.

   I know not how to pray your patience.

   1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]

4. To wish or hope strongly for a particular outcome.

   She is praying that the Red Sox will win tonight.

5. obsoletelawTo implore, to entreat, to request.

   I humbly pray to the Honorable Court for the order for the removal of the publication which contains fake news to be granted.

   2021, Yang di-Pertuan Agong, “Schedule”, in Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021, archived from the original on 20 Jul 2023, page 31

   2 more examples

   They prayd him sit, and gave him for to feed Such homely what as serves the simple clowne, That doth despise the dainties of the towne[…]

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 7

   In time of drought the Abchases of the Caucasus sacrifice an ox to Ap-hi, the god of thunder and lightning, and an old man prays him to send rain, thunder, and lightning, telling him that the crops are parched.

   1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 370

1. archaicformalnot comparablePlease; used to make a polite request

   pray silence for…

   4 more examples

   "Pray, Mr. Knightley," said Emma, who had been smiling to herself through a great part of this speech, "how do you know that Mr. Martin did not speak yesterday?"

   1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter VIII, in Emma: […], volume I, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 124

   Pray don’t ask me why, pray don’t be sorry, pray don’t be vexed with me, I have nothing to do with it indeed!

   1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Tenth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841, →OCLC, page 144

   Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us dreadfully.

   1845, Frederick Marryat, “Chapter XXI”, in The Mission

   Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue your most interesting statement.

   1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb

2. alternativenot comparableAlternative form of pray tell (“I ask you”).

   Shall I be moved to love you, pray, / By hints that I must soon decay? / No woman's won by being told / How quickly she is growing old[...]

   1981, A. D. Hope, “His Coy Mistress to Mr. Marvell”, in A Book of Answers

   1 more example

   He is a South American, so perhaps revolutionary spirit courses through Francis's veins. But what, pray, does the Catholic church want with doubt?

   20 September 2013, Martina Hyde, “Is the pope Catholic?”, in The Guardian

plural Prays

1. A surname.