pray

Meanings

Verb

• To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to God or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc.
• To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
• To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
• To wish or hope strongly for a particular outcome.
• To implore, to entreat, to request.

Adverb

• Please;
• Alternative of pray tell

Origin

• From Middle English preien, from Anglo-Norman preier, from Old French preier, proier, (French prier), from Late Latin *precō, from Latin precārī, present active infinitive of precor, from prex, precis, from Proto-Indo-European *preḱ- ("to ask, woo"). Cognate via Indo-European of Old English frignan, fricgan, German fragen, Dutch vragen. Confer deprecate, imprecate, precarious.
• Ellipsis of I pray you, I pray thee, whence also prithee.