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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Pray Definition, Pronunciation, and Usage Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：speak to God (pray)

pray 🔊

/preɪ/

to speak to God or a god to give thanks or ask for something.

Person praying with hands clasped in peaceful setting

speak to God 🔊

➕

/spiːk tə ɡɒd/

To address God or a deity with a request, thanksgiving, or praise, often in a formal or reverent manner.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'precari' (to entreat), via Old French 'preier'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'P' for 'Please', 'R' for 'Request', 'A' for 'Almighty', 'Y' for 'Yield'.

📖 Example

Every night before bed, she would kneel by her bedside to pray for her family's health and happiness. 🔊 Every night before bed, she would kneel by her bedside to pray for her family's health and happiness.

🔗 Collocations

pray to God – to address a request or thanks to God

pray for peace – to earnestly ask for peace

pray for forgiveness – to ask for pardon

🔄 Synonyms

plead (v.) – to beg earnestly

implore (v.) – to beg urgently

beseech (v.) – to ask fervently

🚫 Antonyms

curse (v.) – to invoke evil upon

blaspheme (v.) – to speak irreverently of the divine

reject (v.) – to refuse to ask or acknowledge

🌱 Derivatives

prayer (n.) – a request or thanks directed to God

praying (adj.) – engaged in the act of prayer

prayerful (adj.) – characterized by devotion and prayer

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'precari' (to beg), related to 'prex' (prayer). In Christian culture, praying is a fundamental act of worship and personal communication with God.

Meaning 2：hope fervently (pray)

pray 🔊

/preɪ/

to hope or wish for something very, very strongly.

Young person looking at shooting star with hopeful expression

hope fervently 🔊

➕

/hoʊp ˈfɜːrvəntli/

To express a very strong wish or desire for something to happen, often as if appealing to fate or luck.

📁 Category：Emotions & Desires 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

I pray that the sunny weather holds for our picnic tomorrow. 🔊 I pray that the sunny weather holds for our picnic tomorrow.

🔗 Collocations

pray for a miracle – to hope for an extraordinary event

pray for the best – to hope for the most favorable outcome

pray for good luck – to wish for positive fortune

🔄 Synonyms

wish (v.) – to want something to happen

hope (v.) – to feel optimistic about a future event

desire (v.) – to long for something

🚫 Antonyms

dread (v.) – to anticipate with fear

fear (v.) – to be afraid of an outcome

despair (v.) – to lose all hope