pray Copy link Outline I. Trans.1. prĕcor, 1 (with acc. of the person addressed)2. quaeso, pl. quaesŭmusII. Intrans. • pray: I. Trans.: to address earnest entreaty to any one. esp. to a deity: 1. prĕcor, 1 (with acc. of the person addressed): to p. the gods, that ... deos p. [venerari atque implorare] ut ..., Cic. Cat. 2, extr.: Hor. Sometimes introduced parenthetically: spare, I p.! parce, precor! Ov. H. 15 (16), 11. See also to pray for. 2. quaeso, pl. quaesŭmus: I p. the gods to prevent that, deos quaeso ut istaec prohibeant, Ter. Ad. 2, 4, 11. Esp. of urgent appeal to persons (not deities): I beg and pray you, to ..., peto, quaesoque, ut ..., Cic. Fam. 5, 4: when it is often parenthetical: I p. you write often to me, tu, quaeso, crebro ad me scribe, id. Att. 7, 10. When used interjectionally (= I pray): sōdēs: be silent, pray! Tace, sodes! Ter. Heaut. 3, 3, 19: Cic.: Hor.: in similar sense, amabo: v. to please (II., fin.). See also to beseech, entreat. II. Intrans.: to perform the act of worship: ōro, 1: teach us to p., doce nos o., Vulg. Luc. xi. 1: to labour well is to p. well, *bene laborasse est bene orasse, Prov. (In somewhat diff. sense, precatione uti, precationem facere: v. prayer.)