---
title: pray — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pray» in the school dictionary: To speak to God or a god, to give thanks, ask for help or say you are sorry. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pray

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, something, We, families, Muslims, Grandma · **What happens:** speak, give, ask, say, be, hope · **To what, where:** God, thanks, dinner, assembly, temple, church · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«pray» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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 school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pray.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To speak to God or a god, to give thanks, ask for help or say you are sorry.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:m1:1
# text = To speak to God or a god, to give thanks, ask for help or say you are sorry.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	god	god	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	thanks	thanks	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	13	conj	_	_
18	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
19	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
20	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  | God or a god |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to god=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **give** | to-infinitive |  | thanks |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thanks=Theme |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | for help | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To hope very strongly that something will happen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:m2:1
# text = To hope very strongly that something will happen.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	hope	hope	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	strongly	strongly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
7	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hope** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | strongly *property* | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **happen** | future | something |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"We prayed for sunshine on sports day."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:m2e:1
# text = "We prayed for sunshine on sports day."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	prayed	pray	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	sunshine	sunshine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	sports	sport	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	compound	_	_
8	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** *in a quote* | past | We |  |  |  | day | for sunshine | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for sunshine=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In old-fashioned English, pray can mean please.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:m3:1
# text = In old-fashioned English, pray can mean please.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	9	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can · present |  |  |  |  |  | in fashioned English | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot in english=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some families pray before they eat dinner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x1:1
# text = Some families pray before they eat dinner.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | present | some families |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **eat** | present | families *= family* | dinner |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dinner=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Muslims pray five times a day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x2:1
# text = Muslims pray five times a day.
1	Muslims	Muslim	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | present | Muslims |  |  |  | time |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma prays for us every night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x3:1
# text = Grandma prays for us every night.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	prays	pray	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | present | Grandma |  |  |  | night | for us | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for we=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmers prayed for rain after the long dry summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x4:1
# text = The farmers prayed for rain after the long dry summer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	prayed	pray	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | past | the farmers |  |  |  | summer | for rain | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for rain=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We were all praying that the bus would not be late.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x5:1
# text = We were all praying that the bus would not be late.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	all	all	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	praying	pray	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	_
11	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | past · progressive | We |  |  |  |  | all *property* | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **not** **is** | would | the bus |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In assembly we learned how Hindus pray at a temple.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x6:1
# text = In assembly we learned how Hindus pray at a temple.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	assembly	assembly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	Hindus	Hindu	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	temple	temple	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | we |  |  | assembly |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V what S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **pray** | present | Hindus |  |  | a temple |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He knelt down to pray in the church.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x7:1
# text = He knelt down to pray in the church.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knelt	kneel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	down	down	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	pray	pray	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel down** | past | He |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **pray** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  | the church |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 8 {#x8}

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

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pray:x8:1
# 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 |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **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.

<!-- /div -->

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