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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (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.
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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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