Antonyms for pray
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : prey |
| Phonetic Transcription : preɪ |
Definition of pray
Origin :- early 13c., "ask earnestly, beg," also (c.1300) "pray to a god or saint," from Old French preier "to pray" (c.900, Modern French prier), from Vulgar Latin *precare (also source of Italian pregare), from Latin precari "ask earnestly, beg, entreat," from *prex (plural preces, genitive precis) "prayer, request, entreaty," from PIE root *prek- "to ask, request, entreat" (cf. Sanskrit prasna-, Avestan frashna- "question;" Old Church Slavonic prositi, Lithuanian prasyti "to ask, beg;" Old High German frahen, German fragen, Old English fricgan "to ask" a question).
- Parenthetical expression I pray you, "please, if you will," attested from 1510s, contracted to pray 16c. Related: Prayed; praying. Praying mantis attested from 1809. The "Gardener's Monthly" of July 1861 lists other names for it as camel cricket, soothsayer, and rear horse.
- verb plead; call upon for help, answer
- With a nod and a smile, Aspasia said, "Continue the music, I pray you."
- Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
- Pray accept this author's copy with his best and hopefullest wishes.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- And pray now let me ask you, If the honour of that will not be an honour to you?
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- Why, I pray you, good Sir, should I be made miserable for life?
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- If you can command the good creature to a place worthy of her, pray do for my sake.
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- I will not pray a word more, for I know you will do just what I want.
- Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
- We pray thee to teach us so to live that we may all meet some day in our Father's house.
- Extract from : « Ester Ried Yet Speaking » by Isabella Alden
- I pray you to speed a bolt against yonder shield with all your force.
- Extract from : « The White Company » by Arthur Conan Doyle
- I pray you, Alleyne, to give him greeting from me, and to ask him for his titles and coat-armor.
- Extract from : « The White Company » by Arthur Conan Doyle
- Sir Otto, I pray you to stand behind us with this young squire.
- Extract from : « The White Company » by Arthur Conan Doyle
Synonyms for pray
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019