(v. a.P. a.) : ōro, āvi, ātum, 1 (orassis for oraveris, Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 63), v. a. and n. 1. os, to speak:
* Oro ab ore,Varr. L. L. 6, § 76 Müll.
* In gen. (so obsol.): orare antiquos dixisse pro agere testimonio est, quod oratores dicti et causarum actores et qui rei publicae mandatas causas agebant,Fest. p. 198 Müll.: bonum aequumque oras,Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 151: talibus orabat Juno,Verg. A. 10, 96.
* In partic.
* To treat, argue, plead (as an ambassador, advocate, etc.; class., but very rare; cf. ago): REM VBI PAGVNT ORATO, Fragm. XII. Tab.: matronis ipsis, quae raptae erant, orantibus,i. e. at their mediation,Cic. Rep. 2, 7, 13: causam capitis,to argue, plead,id. Brut. 12, 47: orandae litis tempus accommodare,id. Off. 3, 10, 43: si causa oranda esset,Liv. 39, 40, 6: causas melius,Verg. A. 6, 849: cum eo de salute suā agit, orat atque obsecrat,treats, speaks,Caes. B. C. 1, 22: causam dixit et ipse pro se oravit,plead his own cause,Liv. 39, 40, 12.
* Of oratorical speaking, eloquence (freq. in Quint.): ars orandi, the oratorical art, art of oratory, Quint. prooem. § 4; id. 2, 15, 20; 9, 4, 3: orandi scientia,id. 1, 10, 2: orandi studium,id. 9, 4, 110; 8, 6, 20.
* To pray, beg, beseech, entreat one (the predom. signif. in all periods and styles; syn.: rogo, obsecro, obtestor, supplico, precor); constr. usually with acc. of the pers. and of the thing, and with ut, ne (the less freq. constructions, v.infra).
* With acc. of the pers. and of the thing: illud te ad extremum et oro et hortor, ut, etc.,Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 16, § 46: multa deos orans,Verg. A. 9, 24: aliquem libertatem,Suet. Vesp. 16.
* To pray, to supplicate God (eccl. Lat.); act.: oravit Dominum,Vulg. Judic. 13, 8: orationem quam orat,id. 3 Reg. 8, 29; id. 2 Par. 6, 21: filios, id. Job, 19, 17: Deum,id. Ecclus. 50, 24: orationes longas,id. Matt. 23, 14.—More often neutr.: pro te,Vulg. Gen. 20, 7: ut audias,id. ib. 43, 20: in loco isto,id. 3 Reg. 8, 30: contra viam civitatis,id. ib. 8, 44: ad Dominum,id. 4 Reg. 4, 33: cum lacrimis,id. Tob. 3, 1: unus orans et unus maledicens,id. Ecclus. 34, 29: spiritu et mente,id. 1 Cor. 14, 15: mulierem decalvatam orare non decet,Ambros. in Luc. 6, § 19: orandi gratia,Lact. 4, 15, 20.—Hence, P. a. as subst.: ōrans, antis, m., an orator: orantes,Tac. Dial. 6, 6.
* With acc. of the thing for which one asks: gnato uxorem,to request a wife for one's son,Ter. And. 3, 2, 48: legati Romam missi, auxilium ad bellum orantes,to ask assistance,Liv. 21, 6: opem rebus affectis orantes,id. 6, 9: auxilia,Tac. A. 2, 46.
* Oro te, I pray thee, prithee, parenthetically, a formula of politeness (cf. quaeso): dic. oro te, clarius,Cic. Att. 4, 8, 1; Sen. Vit. Beat. 7, 1; Liv. 5, 5, 1; cf. Cic. Att. 7, 16, 3.

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