*pray*

{ } n. [ Through OF. fr. L. ossifraga (orig., the bone breaker); prob. influenced by oripelargus (mountain stork, a kind of eagle, Gr. &unr_;); cf. OF. orpres, and F. orfraie. See Ossifrage. ] (Zool.) The fishhawk (Pandion haliaetus). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To exceed or excel in prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & v. See Pry. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Prayed p. pr. & vb. n. Praying. ] [ OE. preien, OF. preier, F. prier, L. precari, fr. prex, precis, a prayer, a request; akin to Skr. prach to ask, AS. frignan, frīnan, fricgan, G. fragen, Goth. fraíhnan. Cf. Deprecate, Imprecate, Precarious. ] To make request with earnestness or zeal, as for something desired; to make entreaty or supplication; to offer prayer to a deity or divine being as a religious act; specifically, to address the Supreme Being with adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving. [ 1913 Webster ]

And to his goddess pitously he preyde. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matt. vi. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

I pray, or (by ellipsis)
Pray, I beg; I request; I entreat you; -- used in asking a question, making a request, introducing a petition, etc.; as, Pray, allow me to go. [ 1913 Webster ]

I pray, sir. why am I beaten? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To entreat; supplicate; beg; implore; invoke; beseech; petition. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to implore; to beseech. [ 1913 Webster ]

And as this earl was preyed, so did he. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

We pray you . . . by ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. v. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for. [ 1913 Webster ]

I know not how to pray your patience. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out of purgatory. Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

To pray in aid. (Law) (a) To call in as a helper one who has an interest in the cause. Bacon. (b) A phrase often used to signify claiming the benefit of an argument. See under Aid. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who prays; a supplicant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. preiere, OF. preiere, F. prière, fr. L. precarius obtained by prayer, fr. precari to pray. See Pray, v. i. ] 1. The act of praying, or of asking a favor; earnest request or entreaty; hence, a petition or memorial addressed to a court or a legislative body. “Their meek preyere.” Chaucer [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of addressing supplication to a divinity, especially to the true God; the offering of adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving to the Supreme Being; as, public prayer; secret prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

As he is famed for mildness, peace, and prayer. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The form of words used in praying; a formula of supplication; an expressed petition; especially, a supplication addressed to God; as, a written or extemporaneous prayer; to repeat one's prayers. [ 1913 Webster ]

He made those excellent prayers which were published immediately after his death. Bp. Fell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prayer book, a book containing devotional prayers. --
Prayer meeting, a meeting or gathering for prayer to God. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Petition; orison; supplication; entreaty; suit. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Given to prayer; praying much or often; devotional. “The prayerful man.” J. S. Blackie. -- Prayer"ful*ly, adv. -- Prayer"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not using prayer; habitually neglecting prayer to God; without prayer. “The next time you go prayerless to bed.” Baxter. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Prayer"less*ly, adv. -- Prayer"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Pray, v. [ 1913 Webster ]

Praying insect,
Praying locust, or
Praying mantis (Zool.), a mantis, especially Mantis religiosa. See Mantis. --
Praying machine, or
Praying wheel, a wheel on which prayers are pasted by Buddhist priests, who then put the wheel in rapid revolution. Each turn in supposed to have the efficacy of an oral repetition of all the prayers on the wheel. Sometimes it is moved by a stream. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With supplication to God. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Dan. sprag. See Sprig. ] 1. A small shoot or branch; a twig. Chaucer.
Syn. -- sprig. [ 1913 Webster ]

The painted birds, companions of the spring,
Hopping from spray to spray, were heard to sing. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A collective body of small branches, or cut flowers with long stems; as, the tree has a beautiful spray; many sprays were sent in condolence to teh funeral home. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

And from the trees did lop the needless spray. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Founding) (a) A side channel or branch of the runner of a flask, made to distribute the metal in all parts of the mold. (b) A group of castings made in the same mold and connected by sprues formed in the runner and its branches. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spray drain (Agric.), a drain made by laying under earth the sprays or small branches of trees, which keep passages open. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Probably from a Dutch or Low German form akin to E. spread. See Spread, v. t. ] 1. Water flying in small drops or particles, as by the force of wind, or the dashing of waves, or from a waterfall, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) (a) A jet of fine medicated vapor, used either as an application to a diseased part or to charge the air of a room with a disinfectant or a deodorizer. (b) An instrument for applying such a spray; an atomizer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spray condenser (Steam Engine), an injection condenser in which the steam is condensed by a spray of water which mingles with it. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To let fall in the form of spray. [ Poetic ] M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To throw spray upon; to treat with a liquid in the form of spray; as, to spray a wound, or a surgical instrument, with carbolic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Naut.) See Dashboard, n., 2 (b). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) A screen raised above any part of the gunwale of a boat to keep out spray. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a small can containing a liquid under pressure of a gas that forces the liquid out in an aerosol form when the valve is opened. [ PJC ]

n. One that sprays; any instrument for vaporizing and spraying liquids. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a container for liquid, fitted with a conduit that can be supplied with compressed air, desiged to allowing the contents to be sprayed as an aerosol. Such devices are used to spray paints and various other liquids. [ PJC ]

n. paint packaged in a spray can. [ PJC ]

v. t. To paint (a surface) by means of a spray, using a spray can or spray gun. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + pray. ] To revoke or annul by prayer, as something previously prayed for. [ R. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not to be influenced or moved by prayers; obdurate. [ R. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]