petition

CEFRC1

/pəˈtɪʃ.ən/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A written request signed by many people.

  2. 02

    verb

    To formally ask an authority for something.

Examples

  • I addressed a petition to the mayor.

  • I thought it strange that the petition had been turned down.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
2

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A prayer or supplication, especially of which is formal or humble and made to a deity, a sovereign, or an authority.

  2. 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.

  3. A formal written application made to a magistrate or court for an order or a suit for divorce.

More examples

In context

  • Would you like to sign our petition against experiments on animals?

  • We're looking to get 10,000 people to sign the petition to have the bird colony given legal protection.

  • a petition to God for courage and strength

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The group gathered signatures for a blank to stop the construction of a new highway.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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