pray

v., prayed, pray·ing, prays.

v.intr.

1. To utter or address a prayer or prayers to God, a god, or another object of worship.
2. To make a fervent request or entreaty.

v.tr.

1. To utter or say a prayer or prayers to; address by prayer.
2. To ask (someone) imploringly; beseech. Now often used elliptically for I pray you to introduce a request or entreaty: Pray be careful.
3. To make a devout or earnest request for: I pray your permission to speak.
4. To move or bring by prayer or entreaty.

[Middle English preien, from Old French preier, from Latin precārī, from precē, pl. of *prex, prayer.]

verb

1. To offer a reverent petition to God or a god: supplicate. See religion.
2. To make an earnest or urgent request: appeal, beg, beseech, crave, entreat, implore, plead, sue, supplicate. Archaic conjure. See ask/answer.

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

v.

To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.

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IN BRIEF: To talk, ask, or recite words in the belief that God or a god will hear. Also: To hope greatly.

Pray for a good harvest, but keep on plowing. — Unknown

Tutor's tip: Another word that sounds like "pray" which means to talk to God, is "prey" which is an animal that is hunted.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - bede
v. tr. - bønfalde
adv. - værsåartig

idioms:

• past praying for    ikke til at redde, uforbederlig

Nederlands (Dutch)
bidden, wensen, verzoeken

Français (French)
v. intr. - prier
v. tr. - prier
adv. - je vous prie

idioms:

• past praying for    c'est un cas désespéré

Deutsch (German)
v. - beten, anflehen
adv. - bitte

idioms:

• past praying for    hoffnungslos

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - προσεύχομαι, ικετεύω, παρακαλώ, εύχομαι
int. - παρακαλώ

idioms:

• past praying for    τελειωμένος, τελείως κατεστραμμένος, αδιόρθωτος

Italiano (Italian)
pregare

idioms:

• past praying for    non c'è più speranza per

Português (Portuguese)
v. - orar

idioms:

• past praying for    caso perdido

Русский (Russian)
молиться, умолять

idioms:

• past praying for    совсем пропащий

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - rezar, orar, rogar, suplicar
v. tr. - rezar, orar, rogar, suplicar
adv. - en forma de ruego, súplica, oración o rezo

idioms:

• past praying for    está desahuciado, ya no se puede salvar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - bönfalla, be (om)
int. - å, jag ber!, var god och...

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
祈祷, 祈求, 请求, 恳求, 祈祷地

idioms:

• past praying for    不可救药, 没有希望, 无法挽回

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 祈禱, 祈求, 請求, 懇求
v. tr. - 祈禱, 祈求, 懇求, 請求
adv. - 祈禱地

idioms:

• past praying for    不可救藥, 沒有希望, 無法挽回

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 간원하다, 빌다
v. tr. - (신에게) 기원하다, 기도하다
adv. - 제발

idioms:

• past praying for    개심[회복]의 가망이 없다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 祈る, 心から望む, 懇願する, どうか

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يصلي, يتضرع, يبتهل (نداء) ما هذا !‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮התפלל, התחנן‬
v. tr. - ‮ביקש, העתיר אל‬
adv. - ‮לשון-פנייה בבקשות מנומסות או בהוראות‬

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