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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [pray]
PRAY, v.i. [L. precor; proco; this word belongs to the same family as preach and reproach; Heb. to bless, to reproach; rendered in Job 2.9, to curse; properly, to reproach, to rail at or upbraid. In Latin the word precor signifies to supplicate good or evil, and precis signifies a prayer and a curse. See Imprecate.] 1. To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate. Pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you. Matt.5.2. To petition; to ask, as for a favor; as in application to a legislative body.3. In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet,and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matt.6.4. I pray, that is, I pray you tell me, or let me know, is a common mode of introducing a question.PRAY, v.t. To supplicate; to entreat; to urge. We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor.5.1. In worship, to supplicate; to implore; to ask with reverence and humility. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8. 2. To petition. The plaintiff prays judgment of the court. He that will have the benefit of this act, must pray a prohibition before a sentence in the ecclesiastical court.3. To ask or intreat in ceremony or form. Pray my colleague Antonius I may speak with him.[In most instances, this verb is transitive only by ellipsis. To pray God, is used for to pray to God; to pray a prohibition, is to pray for a prohibition, &c.] To pray in aid, in law, is to call in for help one who has interest in the cause.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [pray]
1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
PRAY, v.i. [L. precor; proco; this word belongs to the same family as preach and reproach; Heb. to bless, to reproach; rendered in Job 2.9, to curse; properly, to reproach, to rail at or upbraid. In Latin the word precor signifies to supplicate good or evil, and precis signifies a prayer and a curse. See Imprecate.] 1. To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate. Pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you. Matt.5.2. To petition; to ask, as for a favor; as in application to a legislative body.3. In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet,and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matt.6.4. I pray, that is, I pray you tell me, or let me know, is a common mode of introducing a question.PRAY, v.t. To supplicate; to entreat; to urge. We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor.5.1. In worship, to supplicate; to implore; to ask with reverence and humility. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8. 2. To petition. The plaintiff prays judgment of the court. He that will have the benefit of this act, must pray a prohibition before a sentence in the ecclesiastical court.3. To ask or intreat in ceremony or form. Pray my colleague Antonius I may speak with him.[In most instances, this verb is transitive only by ellipsis. To pray God, is used for to pray to God; to pray a prohibition, is to pray for a prohibition, &c.] To pray in aid, in law, is to call in for help one who has interest in the cause. | PRAY, v.i. [Fr. prier; It. pregare; L. precor; Russ. prochu; allied perhaps to the Sax. frægnan, G. fragen, D. vraagen, Sw. frÃ¥ga, to ask, L. proco. This word belongs to the same family as preach and reproach, Heb. Ch. Syr. Eth. and Ar. ברד, to bless, to reproach; rendered in Job ii. 9, to curse; properly, to reproach, to rail at or upbraid, W. rhegu. The primary sense is to throw, to pour forth sounds or words; for the same word in Arabic, بَرَكَ baraka, signifies to pour out water, as in violent rain, Gr. βÏεχω. See Rain. As the oriental word signifies to bless, and to reproach or curse, so in Latin the same word precor signifies to supplicate good or evil, and precis signifies a prayer and a curse. See Imprecate. Class Brg, No. 3, and see No. 4, 6, 7, 8.]- To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate.
Pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you. – Matth. v.
- To petition; to ask, as for a favor; as in application to a legislative body.
- In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received.
When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. – Matth. vi.
- I pray, that is, I pray you tell me, or let me know, is a common mode of introducing a question.
PRAY, v.t.- To supplicate; to entreat; to urge.
We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. – 2 Cor. v.
- In worship, to supplicate; to implore; to ask with reverence and humility.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. – Acts viii.
- To petition. The plaintif prays judgment of the court.
He that will have the benefit of this act, must pray a prohibition before a sentence in the ecclesiastical court. – Ayliffe.
- To ask or intreat in ceremony or form.
Pray my colleague Antonius I may speak with him. – B. Jonson.
[In most instances, this verb, is transitive only by ellipsis. To pray God, is used for to pray to God; to pray a prohibition, is to pray for a prohibition, &c.]
To pray in aid, in law, is to call in for help one who has interest in the cause.
| Pray
- See
Pry.
- 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.
- To
address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to implore; to
beseech.
- To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by
supplication; to entreat for.
- To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to
pray a soul out of purgatory.
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1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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Pray PRAY, verb intransitive [Latin precor; proco; this word belongs to the same family as preach and reproach; Heb. to bless, to reproach; rendered in Job 2:9, to curse; properly, to reproach, to rail at or upbraid. In Latin the word precor signifies to supplicate good or evil, and precis signifies a prayer and a curse. See Imprecate.] 1. To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate. PRAY for them who despitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44. 2. To petition; to ask, as for a favor; as in application to a legislative body. 3. In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:5. 4. I pray that is, I pray you tell me, or let me know, is a common mode of introducing a question. PRAY, verb transitive To supplicate; to entreat; to urge. We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20. 1. In worship, to supplicate; to implore; to ask with reverence and humility. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8:22. 2. To petition. The plaintiff prays judgment of the court. He that will have the benefit of this act, must pray a prohibition before a sentence in the ecclesiastical court. 3. To ask or intreat in ceremony or form. PRAY my colleague Antonius I may speak with him. [In most instances, this verb is transitive only by ellipsis. To pray God, is used for to pray to God; to pray a prohibition, is to pray for a prohibition, etc.] To pray in aid, in law, is to call in for help one who has interest in the cause.
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