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Pry vs Pray - What's the difference?

pry | pray |

As verbs the difference between pry and pray

is that pry is to look where one is not welcome; to be nosey while pray is to petition or solicit help from a supernatural or higher being.

As a noun pry

is the act of prying.

As an adverb pray is

please; used to make a polite request.

pry

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) pryen, . More at (l).

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To look where one is not welcome; to be nosey.
  • To look closely and curiously at.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Watch thou and wake when others be asleep, / To pry into the secrets of the state.

    Noun

  • The act of prying
  • An excessively inquisitive person

    • Etymology 2

    1800, ("lever"), construed as a plural noun or as a 3rd person singular verb.

    Noun

    (pries)
  • A lever.
  • Leverage.

    • Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To use leverage to open or widen. (See also prise and prize.)

    • pray

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To petition or solicit help from a supernatural or higher being.
    • Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca.
  • To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
  • (religion) to communicate with God for any reason.
  • (obsolete) To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I know not how to pray your patience.

    Derived terms

    * prayer * pray in aid

    Adverb

    (-)
  • please; used to make a polite request.
    • pray silence for…
  • * 1816 , (Jane Austen), , Volume 1 Chapter 8
    • "Pray , Mr. Knightley," said Emma, who had been smiling to herself through a great part of this speech, "how do you know that Mr. Martin did not speak yesterday?"
  • * Charles Dickens, , 1841:
    • Pray''' don’t ask me why, '''pray''' don’t be sorry, '''pray don’t be vexed with me!
  • * Frederick Marryat, , 1845:
    • Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us dreadfully.
  • * 1892 , (Arthur Conan Doyle),
    • Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue your most interesting statement.
  • * 2013 , Martina Hyde, Is the pope Catholic?'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 September 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/20/is-pope-catholic-atheists-gay-people-abortion]
    • He is a South American, so perhaps revolutionary spirit courses through Francis's veins. But what, pray , does the Catholic church want with doubt?