'Pray' definitions:

Definition of 'pray'

verb

Address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer; "pray to the Lord"

verb

Call upon in supplication; entreat; "I beg you to stop!" [syn: beg, implore, pray]

From: GCIDE

From: GCIDE

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]

From: GCIDE

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]

From: GCIDE

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]