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]

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.
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         And to his goddess pitously he preyde.   --Chaucer.
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         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.
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   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.
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            I pray, sir. why am I beaten?         --Shak.
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   Syn: To entreat; supplicate; beg; implore; invoke; beseech;
        petition.
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Pray \Pray\, v. t.
   1. To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat;
      to implore; to beseech.
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            And as this earl was preyed, so did he. --Chaucer.
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            We pray you . . . by ye reconciled to God. --2 Cor.
                                                  v. 20.
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   2. To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication;
      to entreat for.
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            I know not how to pray your patience. --Shak.
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   3. To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out
      of purgatory. --Milman.
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   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.
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Pray \Pray\, n. & v.
   See Pry. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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PRAY, v.  To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf
of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.