c.1422, "to disturb, trouble," from M.Fr.
soliciter, from L.
solicitare "to disturb, rouse," from
sollicitus "agitated," from
sollus "whole, entire" +
citus "aroused," pp. of
ciere "shake, excite, set in motion" (see
cite). Meaning "to further (business affairs)" evolved c.1450 from M.Fr. sense of "manage affairs." The sexual sense (often in ref. to prostitutes) is attested from 1701, probably from a merger of the business sense and an earlier sense of "to court or beg the favor of" (a woman), attested from 1591.