Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- interj. Archaic Used to express a polite request.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A corruption of pray thee; I pray thee.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- interj. A corruption of
pray thee ; ; generally used without I.
Etymologies
- Alteration of (I) pray thee.
Examples
“There's no reason why the rest of the country cannot play along, peppering our conversation with -- as the mayor suggested -- phrases such as "prithee" and "fie!" or, if you're at work,”
“Faith, it awaits down there someplace; prithee let me glimpse again.”
“‘I prithee go and get me some repast; I care not what, so it be wholesome food.’”
Simon & Schuster: Star Trek: Myriad Universes: Shattered Light
“Enter our humble cottage; but, prithee, take care that my smoke grimed walls soil not thy robes; now wilt thou offer to the gods”
““And hear ye, Craigie,” said Bucklaw; “your boots and doublet are good enough to drink in, as the man says in the play, but they are somewhat too greasy for tea-table service; prithee, get thyself a little better rigged out, and here is to pay all charges.””
“As for Hector and his griefs, prithee hear how stands the case; he is dead and gone, but still his fame remains as bravest of the brave, and this was”
“How many, prithee, men of sterling sense, when they see their wives unfaithful, make as though they saw it not?”
“Again, what interest hadst thou to further by thy zeal? was it to form some marriage, or on the score of kin, or, prithee, why? or was it likely that they would sail hither again and destroy thy country's crops?”
“Let us hasten and lose no time; prithee, lead the way, old sir.”
“I wish to tell thee and thy children a private matter of my own; prithee, bid thy attendants withdraw from the tent.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘prithee’.

tusseymountain OED mentions John Barth's recent use of the word: 1994 J. BARTH Once upon Time 393 And exactly what were you doing, prithee, in that make-pretend down-county marsh at the make-pretend Place Where Three Ways Meet? Jun 18, 2009
sionnach ".... prithee, pox!
Give her the hair" -- he spoke, and rapped his box.
Pope: "The Rape of the Lock" Dec 18, 2007
minerva I pray thee. Dec 17, 2007