efflagitation

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English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

efflagitation (countable and uncountable, plural efflagitations)

  1. (obsolete, rare) An earnest request, an entreaty.
    • 1635, Richard Bernard, “Chap. VI. That wives are to doe good workes”, in The Ready Way to Good Works, Or, A Treatise of Charitie, London, pages 75–76:
      Some men knowing this to bee their prerogative, [] that their Wives are bound by Gods Law to submit to their manly spirits, and riper judgements, may perchance out of their earthlinesse, and intolerable worldly-mindednesse, [] , take the advantage and unconscionablely stand off, and refuse to give their consents unto their wives pious efflagitations and intreaties.
    • 1657, G. G. D'Ouvilly, The False Favourite Disgrac'd, London, act III, scene 1, page 58:
      Whence then proceeds this strong oppugnance to / My faire proposition, efflagitation?
    • 1776, George Wythe, in W. Edwin Hemphill, “George Wythe Courts the Muses”, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 9 (3rd series), No. 3 (Jul., 1952), page 342:
      With candor attend to her efflagitation, / []
    • 1911, The Irish Homestead, volume 18, numbers 26–52, Dublin, page 792:
      Into the noisome caverns of the Ghouls; into the dew-gemmed bower of the lady fairies, you have extended your efflagitations.
  2. (obsolete, rare) A constant and insistent demanding, importunity.
    • 1777, Patrick Duigenan, Lachrymae academicae : or, The present deplorable state of the College of the holy and undivided Trinity, of Queen Elizabeth, near Dublin, Dublin, page 16:
      This temper of solicitation, or more properly efflagitation, amongst his other qualifications, had greatly conduced to procure for him and his children some honourable and lucrative employments and reversions, […]
    • 1910 April 9, D. C. Pedder, “Intensive Electioneering”, in The Living Age, volume CCLXV, number 3431, Boston: The Living Age Company, page 100:
      A laborer's wife was visited fifteen times by people of importance who lived near her in order to induce her to bring over her husband to the Tory cause. [] Canvassing like this is not the mere suggestion of arguments in favor of the cause represented by the canvasser; it is not even solicitation. It is efflagitation.

Related terms[edit]