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Definition of petition - 8 dictionary results
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pe⋅ti⋅tion
[puh-tish-uh
n] 
–noun
| 1. | a formally drawn request, often bearing the names of a number of those making the request, that is addressed to a person or group of persons in authority or power, soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit: a petition for clemency; a petition for the repeal of an unfair law. |
| 2. | a request made for something desired, esp. a respectful or humble request, as to a superior or to one of those in authority; a supplication or prayer: a petition for aid; a petition to God for courage and strength. |
| 3. | something that is sought by request or entreaty: to receive one's full petition. |
| 4. | Law. an application for a court order or for some judicial action. |
–verb (used with object)
| 5. | to beg for or request (something). |
| 6. | to address a formal petition to (a sovereign, a legislative body, etc.): He received everything for which he had petitioned the king. |
| 7. | to ask by petition for (something). |
–verb (used without object)
| 8. | to present a petition. |
| 9. | to address or present a formal petition. |
| 10. | to request or solicit, as by a petition: to petition for redress of grievances. |
Origin:
1300–50; ME peticioun (< MF peticion) < L petītiōn- (s. of petītiō) a seeking out, equiv. to petīt(us) (ptp. of petere to seek) + -iōn- -ion
1300–50; ME peticioun (< MF peticion) < L petītiōn- (s. of petītiō) a seeking out, equiv. to petīt(us) (ptp. of petere to seek) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms:
pe⋅ti⋅tion⋅a⋅ble, adjective
pe⋅ti⋅tion⋅er, pe⋅ti⋅tion⋅ist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To petition
| pe·ti·tion (pə-tĭsh'ən) n.
v. tr.
To make a request, especially formally: petitioned for retrial. [Middle English peticion, from Old French petition, from Latin petītiō, petītiōn-, from petītus, past participle of petere, to request; see pet- in Indo-European roots.] pe·ti'tion·ar'y (pə-tĭsh'ə-něr'ē) adj., pe·ti'tion·er n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Petition
Pe*ti"tion\, n. [F. p['e]tition, L. petitio, fr. petere, petitum, to beg, ask, seek; perh. akin to E. feather, or find.]1. A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer. A house of prayer and petition for thy people. --1 Macc. vii. 37. This last petition heard of all her prayer. --Dryden. 2. A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; -- in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document. Petition of right (Law), a petition to obtain possession or restitution of property, either real or personal, from the Crown, which suggests such a title as controverts the title of the Crown, grounded on facts disclosed in the petition itself. --Mozley & W. The Petition of Right (Eng. Hist.), the parliamentary declaration of the rights of the people, assented to by Charles I.Petition
Pe*ti"tion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Petitioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Petitioning.] To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor. You have . . . petitioned all the gods for my prosperity. --Shak.Petition
Pe*ti"tion\, v. i. To make a petition or solicitation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : petition
Spanish:
petición, instancia,
German:
das Gesuch,
Japanese:
請願
petition (n.)
c.1330, "a supplication or prayer, especially to a deity," from O.Fr. peticiun (12c.), from L. petitionem (nom. petitio) "a request, solicitation," noun of action from petere "to require, seek, go forward," also "to rush at, attack," ult. from PIE base *pet-/*pte- "to rush, to fly" (cf. Skt. patram "wing, feather, leaf," patara- "flying, fleeting;" Hittite pittar "wing;" Gk. piptein "to fall," potamos "rushing water," pteryx "wing;" O.E. feðer "feather;" L. penna "feather, wing;" O.C.S. pero "feather;" O.Welsh eterin "bird"). Meaning "formal written request to a superior (earthly)" is attested from 1414. The verb is 1607, from the noun.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: pe·ti·tion
Function: noun
1 : a formal written request made to an official person or body (as a court or board) petition for equitable relief>
2 : a document embodying a formal written request
Main Entry: petition
Function: transitive verb
: to direct a petition to <petition the court> intransitive verb : to make a petition <petition for relief> —pe·ti·tion·er noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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