Definition of "pray"

pray¹

/pɹeɪ/

verb
third-person singular simple present prays, present participle praying, simple past and past participle prayed
1. (religion) To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to a deity or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc.
  Quotations
  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, [Edward Plunkett,] Lord Dunsany, The Gods of Pegāna‎, London: Elkin Mathews, […]
  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
2. To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
3. (obsolete) To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
  Quotations
  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, [Act V, scene i]
4. To wish or hope strongly for a particular outcome.
5. (obsolete) To implore, to entreat, to request.
  Quotations
  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, 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
  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, page 31

pray²

adverb
not comparable
1. (archaic or formal) Please; used to make a polite request
  Quotations
  "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 8, in Emma: […], volumes (please specify |volume=I, II or III), London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray
  Pray don’t ask me why, pray don’t be sorry, pray don’t be vexed with me!
  1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Tenth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841
  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. Alternative form of pray tell (“I ask you (insincerely)”)
  Quotations
  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

Definition of "pray"

pray1

verb

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pray2

adverb

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pray¹

pray²