---
title: pray — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pray» in the Early Modern English dictionary: In old texts "pray" means "please" or "I beg you"; the Torah also uses it for speaking to God. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pray

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pray, I, Torah, you, he, Thy · **What happens:** mean, beg, use, speak, pray, give · **To what, where:** you, pray, God, her, it, glory · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«pray» in the Early Modern English dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 3 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [pray in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/pray.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In old texts "pray" means "please" or "I beg you"; the Torah also uses it for speaking to God.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pray:m1:1
# text = In old texts "pray" means "please" or "I beg you"; the Torah also uses it for speaking to God.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	texts	text	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	pray	pray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	beg	beg	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	Torah	Torah	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
20	also	also	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	_
23	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
24	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	21	advcl	_	_
25	to	to	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | pray |  |  |  |  | in old texts | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot please=Theme in text=Attribute |
| 2 | **beg** *speech: request* *in a quote* | present | I |  | you |  |  |  | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.Topic»: agent=Agent you=Recipient |
| 3 | **use** | present | the Torah | pray |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 4 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund | the Torah *not said here* |  | God |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to god=Co-Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I pray you give her unto him to wife.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah GEN.34.8, JPS 1917.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pray:x1:1
# text = I pray you give her unto him to wife.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	give	give	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	_
6	unto	unto	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **give** | present | you |  | her *= she* |  |  | unto him *= he* | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent she=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Take it pray, as a present!"

<!-- .note -->
From Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pray:x2:1
# text = "Take it pray, as a present!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Take	take	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	pray	pray	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	present	present	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  | as a present | tree rules |
| 2 | **pray** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And he said: 'Show me, I pray Thee, Thy glory.'

<!-- .note -->
From Torah EXO.33.18, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pray:x3:1
# text = And he said: 'Show me, I pray Thee, Thy glory.'
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
11	Thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	Thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	glory	glory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **show** | infinitive |  | Thy glory | me |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |
| 3 | **pray** | present | I | Thee |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **glory** |  | Thy |  |  |  |  |  | nom glory «state intransitive»: poss=agent |

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**Text:** the Early Modern English dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova; its examples quote public-domain texts. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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