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petition

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Petition and pétition

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English, borrowed from Old French peticiun, from stem of Latin petitio, petitionem (“a request, solicitation”), from petere (“to require, seek, go forward”).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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petition (plural petitions)

  1. A formal written request made by an individual or a group of people to a sovereign or political authority, often containing many signatures, soliciting some grace, right, mercy, or the redress of some wrong or grievance. [from early 15th c.]
    We're looking to get 10,000 people to sign the petition to have the bird colony given legal protection.
  2. (law, by extension) A formal written application made to a magistrate or court for an order or a suit for divorce. [from 1730s]
  3. A prayer or supplication, especially of which is formal or humble and made to a deity, a sovereign, or an authority. [from c. 1330]
    a petition to aid
    a petition to God for courage and strength

Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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petition (third-person singular simple present petitions, present participle petitioning, simple past and past participle petitioned)

  1. (transitive) To make a petition to (a sovereign or political authority).
    The villagers petitioned the council to demolish the dangerous building.
    • 1955 April, “Notes and News: Restoring the Festiniog Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 288:
      The company, appreciating the crippling affect [sic] that this scheme will have on its activities unless the railway is diverted, has petitioned against the North Wales Hydro-Electric Power Bill at present before the House of Lords.

Translations

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References

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Further reading

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