ENGLISH
REFERENCE

prayed

v.
A2 Elementary US //ˈpɹeɪd// UK //pɹˈeɪd// prayed

v. spoke to a god or a spirit to give thanks or to ask for help. You do this when you want something to happen very much or when you are in a religious place.

v. the past tense and past participle of 'pray', meaning to address a deity or spirit for the purpose of worship, thanksgiving, or petition. Often implies a deep emotional or spiritual appeal.


SIMPLE

She prayed for her friend to get better soon.

CONTEXTUAL

The farmers prayed for rain after several weeks of extreme heat and dry soil.

COMPLEX

In the quiet of the ancient cathedral, the pilgrims prayed for peace and guidance before continuing their long journey across the continent.

Synonyms
Usage

Intransitive when used for the act of worship; takes the preposition 'for' when requesting a specific outcome.

Pitfall

They prayed God for helpThey prayed to God for helpWhen the object is the deity being addressed, the verb requires the preposition 'to'.

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