pray vs plead

pray and plead both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
pray	No	No	Yes	No
plead	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, plead is a hypernym of pray; that is, plead is a word with a broader meaning than pray:

pray (verb)	plead (verb)
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer	appeal or request earnestly
call upon in supplication; entreat	enter a plea, as in courts of law
	offer as an excuse or plea
	make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts