pray

5 definitions • 10 examples

to speak to a god either privately or in a religious ceremony in order to express love, admiration, or thanks or in order to ask for something:

She knelt and prayed silently.

Let us pray for the victims of this terrible disaster.

[ + that ] We've been praying to God that your son will make a complete recovery.

formal You must pray (= ask for) God's forgiveness for what you have done.

to hope for something very much:

We're praying for good weather for tomorrow's game.

a forceful way of saying "please":

Pray tell your sister that I long to see her.

And where have you been, pray tell?

to speak to God or a god either privately or in a religious ceremony esp. to express thanks or to ask for help:

[ I ] Then the minister said, "Let us pray."

[ + (that) clause ] We often prayed (that) the war would end.

To pray also means to hope:

[ + (that) clause ] I prayed (that) she wouldn’t discover my secret.