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pray tell. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
pray tell, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
pray tell in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
pray tell you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From pray (“ask (politely)”) + tell (“explain”).
Pronunciation
Interjection
pray tell
- (archaic) Please explain (something the requester does not yet understand).
Pray tell us, how will they fare while you are away?
- (idiomatic, usually sarcastic) Expressing incredulity, please explain (some claim or position the speaker doubts).
But how, pray tell, do you "notice" something that happens when you're asleep?
Usage notes
When "pray" was used to emphasize requests, this standard construction (as, "pray come here", "pray help us", "pray leave me") was an earnest request for information. The phrase is now, however, usually used ironically to emphasize the unacceptability of something, especially when highlighting a logical fallacy.
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