pray1 verbpray2 adverb
praypray1 /preɪ/ ●●○ S3 W3 verb [intransitive, transitive] 
WORD ORIGINpray1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French preier, from Latin precari, from prex ‘request, prayer’VERB TABLE
pray
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | pray |
| he, she, it | prays | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | prayed |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have prayed |
| he, she, it | has prayed | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had prayed |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will pray |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have prayed |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am praying |
| he, she, it | is praying | |
| you, we, they | are praying | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was praying |
| you, we, they | were praying | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been praying |
| he, she, it | has been praying | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been praying |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be praying |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been praying |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- As their crops wilted, the people prayed for rain.
- Carly's parents are praying that the operation will succeed.
- He got down on his knees and began to pray.
- In her time of distress she prayed to Allah to help her.
- We pray for the sick and for their families.
- You don't have to go to church to pray.
- Catherine heard that Henry was praying in the royal chapel so ran screaming down the corridor.
- He prayed he was about to learn its meaning.
- I prayed for all the King's Kids in their work places.
- I prayed silently for peace to those venerable remains.
- They prayed for a child, a son, and were so happy when he was born.
- They had just prayed for an hour in a small chapel.
- We were praying that the interest would be sparked.
Longman Language Activatorto say a prayer
to speak to God or to a god, either silently or aloud, especially to ask for help or to express thanks: · He got down on his knees and began to pray.pray to God/the gods/Allah etc: · In her time of distress she prayed to Allah to help her.pray for somebody (=pray because someone needs help): · We pray for the sick and for their families.pray for something (=pray that something will happen): · As their crops wilted, the people prayed for rain.pray (that): · Carly's parents are praying that the operation will succeed.
to pray, sing, or take part in a religious ceremony, in order to show love and respect for God or a god: · The whole family worshipped together at the chapel.· the people worshipping in the mosque· The Ancient Egyptians worshipped many gods.
words that you say when you are praying: prayer for: · Our prayers for peace have been answered.· a prayer for the deadsay a prayer: · She knelt to say a prayer of profound thankfulness.say your prayers (=say prayers, usually at a regular time): · We always used to say our prayers before going to bed.
a prayer thanking God for the food you are going to eat, said before a meal: say grace: · Before we eat, I'd just like to say grace.
formal if someone is at prayer , they are praying at this moment: · The saint appeared to him in a vision while he was at prayer.
the activity of praying · The synagogue is used for prayer and study.· The monks here believe strongly in the power of prayer and meditation.in prayer (=while praying) · Their heads were bowed in prayer.
the activity of praying, singing etc in a religious building, usually in a group, in order to show love and respect for God or a god: · The villagers gather for worship in the little church every Sunday.act of worship: · Christians, Muslims and Jews came together for an act of communal worship.place of worship: · This church has been a place of worship for a thousand years.
an occasion when people pray together · They were forbidden to talk during prayers.morning/evening prayers · Immediately after supper Mrs Carey rang the bell for evening prayers.
a religious ceremony when people pray, sing etc together: · We always go to the service on Sunday morning.· There were usually most people at the evening service.marriage/funeral/christening etc service: · The priest who performed the marriage service is a friend of the family.
WORD SETSacolyte, nounafterlife, nounagnostic, nounangel, nounanimism, nounanoint, verbapostasy, nounapostate, nounarchangel, nounbelieve, verbbeliever, nounbell-ringer, nounbless, verbblessed, adjectiveblessing, nouncelebrant, nounChristian Science, nouncircumcise, verbcircumcision, nouncommunion, nounconfession, nounconvent, nounconversion, nounconvert, nouncoreligionist, nouncowl, nouncredo, nouncreed, nouncult, noundaemon, nounDecalogue, noundefrock, verbdeism, noundenomination, noundenominational, adjectivedevotee, noundevotion, noundevotional, adjectivedevout, adjectivedivine, adjectivedivinity, noundruid, nounfaith, nounfast day, nounfeast, nounfervour, nounfiesta, nounfollow, verbfrankincense, noungentile, noungod, noungoddess, noungrace, nounhabit, nounhair shirt, nounhallelujah, interjectionhallowed, adjectivehalo, nounheathen, adjectiveheathen, nounheaven, nounheavenly, adjectivehell, nounheresy, nounheretic, nounhermit, nounhermitage, nounheterodox, adjectivehigh priest, nounidol, nounidolatry, nounincarnation, nounincense, nouninfidel, nounintercession, nouninvocation, nouninvoke, verbirreligious, adjective-ism, suffixlayman, nounlaywoman, nounlibation, nounliturgical, adjectiveliturgy, nounmartyr, nounmartyr, verbmeditate, verbmeditation, nounmission, nounmonastery, nounmonastic, adjectivemonk, nounmonotheism, nounMoonie, nounMormon, nounMosaic, adjectivemystery play, nounmystic, nounmystical, adjectivemysticism, nounneophyte, nounnovice, nounnovitiate, nounnuminous, adjectivenun, nounnunnery, nounoblation, nounobservance, nounoffering, nounOlympian, adjectiveordain, verborder, nounorthodox, adjectiveotherworldly, adjectivepagan, adjectivepagan, nounpantheism, nounpantheon, nounParsee, nounpilgrim, nounpilgrimage, nounpious, adjectivepluralism, nounpolytheism, nounpractise, verbpray, verbprayer, nounprayer wheel, nounpreach, verbpreacher, nounpriest, nounpriestess, nounpriesthood, nounpriestly, adjectiveprophet, nounprophetess, nounpurify, verbRasta, nounRastafarian, nounRastaman, nounRE, nounrecant, verbreincarnation, nounreligious, adjectivereligiously, adverbreliquary, nounrepent, verbretreat, nounrevelation, nounrevivalism, nounrite, nounritual, nounsacred, adjectivesacrifice, nounsacrifice, verbsacrificial, adjectivesanctify, verbsanctity, nounsanctuary, nounsanctum, nounsatanism, nounscripture, nounsect, nounsectarian, adjectiveservice, nounshaman, nounShinto, nounshrine, nounsin, nounsin, verbsinful, adjectivesinner, nounsoul, nounspirit, nounspiritual, adjectivespiritualism, nounspirituality, nounSr, sun god, nounsuppliant, nounsupplicant, nounsupplication, nounSupreme Being, nounTao, nounTaoism, nountemple, nountenet, nounthanksgiving, nountheism, nountheo-, prefixtheocracy, nountheologian, nountheological college, nountheology, nountonsure, nountranscendental, adjectivetranscendental meditation, nountransmigration, noununbelief, noununbeliever, nounungodly, adjectiveunholy, adjectiveunorthodox, adjectivevisionary, nounvoodoo, nounvotary, nounworship, verbworship, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
I hope and pray that this is a misunderstanding.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He never admitted his guilt or asked for forgiveness.
1to speak to God in order to ask for help or give thanks: I hope and pray that this is a misunderstanding. He never admitted his guilt or asked for forgiveness.· They prayed to God for forgiveness.
· We prayed for a miracle, but her burns were so severe that she did not survive.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· But this is a counsel of despair; an admission that our country is past praying for.· Philippa, standing apart, knew which man she herself was praying for.
· Heaven help me, she prayed silently.· After situating herself on a huge flat-sided rock, Baby Suggs bowed her head and prayed silently.· I prayed silently for peace to those venerable remains.· As they saw this wonder each looked in terror at the other, and dropping their eyes they prayed silently.· He began to pray silently to himself.· People held their breaths and prayed silently that the Gestapo was not looking for them.· Oh, let there be some one around, she prayed silently, as she made the car fly the last few metres.· Oh, no, she prayed silently, surely Peter hadn't blithely handed over one of the family heirlooms?
· They began to meet in private houses where they read sermons and prayed together.· They had prayed together and had shared their supper with her.· We prayed together before we left.· Late that evening, according to Schuller, Clinton stopped by the room and the two prayed together.· It has urged women to assemble in their streets to pray together and stage silent vigils.· I would feel cut off and inadequate whenever my family prayed together.· The tears gave way to a great sense of release and peace as she and the woman prayed together.· Remember the family that prays together stays together.
NOUN· If my people ... Behind all these initiatives, the new church needs to pray.· Pilgrims never stopped traveling to Lourdes or Fatima, and even the most conventional churches had continued to pray for the sick.· I went into the church and prayed all this morning.· He went to his church and prayed.
· The family prayed, the class prayed, the school prayed every day in assembly.· His congregation prayed four times a day.· No wonder enclosed nuns had to pray night and day for priests when they were so worldly.· We pray for you every day, and think of all the decisions and plans.· He was the man she had prayed that one day she would marry.· I learned that my parents had got to London and prayed for the day I'd be able to see them.· He told me that it was necessary for them to start praying at home every day.
· It was a terrible sin, she said: which means we've got to pray for forgiveness.
· It's a great honour and I only hope and pray I won't let Monsieur down.· If it does, I hope and pray that they will stop there and leave you alone, at least for the time being.
· We prayed for rain at supper every evening, and for three months not a single drop fell from the sky.· He says he is praying for rain, but isn't yet resorting to a rain dance.· The problem has got so bad in one town that councillors have been told they should pray for rain.
· I can hardly pray for her soul.· A white preacher who prayed for their souls while Sethe peeled potatoes and Grandma Baby sucked air.· She would be now, as she had been all that day, out praying for his soul.· Christina believed she was released from the afterlife to pray for the souls in purgatory.· You could spend your entire life praying for the holy souls, to get them out of purgatory.· Since my college days, when I supported Jack Kennedy for president, my parents had been praying for my soul.
VERB· Who is our food and our life. Let us pray for the sick members of our parish family.· As we call on your name. Let us pray for the sick members of our parish family.· Through the power of your Holy Spirit Let us pray for the sick members of our parish family.
They went to the mosque to pray.pray for Let us pray for peace.pray to Martha prayed to God for help.pray (that) He prayed that his sight might be restored.2to wish or hope very strongly that something will happen or is truepray (that) Paul was praying that no one had noticed his absence. I hope and pray that this is a misunderstanding.pray for We’re praying for good weather tomorrow.pray1 verbpray2 adverb
praypray2 adverb [sentence adverb] EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Give us, pray, the benefit of your undivided attention.
- Unbelievers both, Calm and complete, determinately fixed Today, tomorrow and for ever, pray?
- What sort of man shall I have, pray?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY And who, pray tell, is this?COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He never admitted his guilt or asked for forgiveness.
old-fashioned used when politely asking a question or telling someone to do something SYN please: And who, pray tell, is this? He never admitted his guilt or asked for forgiveness.· They prayed to God for forgiveness.
· We prayed for a miracle, but her burns were so severe that she did not survive.
Pray be seated. And who, pray tell, is this?