Solicit Meaning
/səˈlɪsɪt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo persistently endeavor to obtain an object, or bring about an event.
verbTo woo; to court.
Sentence Examples
The group went door to door to solicit donations for the charity.
You should not solicit advice from people who are not experts.
The charity organization works to solicit donations for the homeless.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The charity volunteers will ____ donations from people on the street.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The organization is not allowed to ____ donations within the boundaries of the public park.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English soliciten, solliciten, from Old French soliciter, solliciter, borrowed from Latin sollicitō (“stir, disturb; look after”), from sollicitus (“agitated, anxious, punctilious”, literally “thoroughly moved”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + perfect passive participle of cieō (“shake, excite, cite, to put in motion”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I view my crime, but kindle at the view,
Repent old pleasures, and solicit new.
Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me?"
— 1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC:
"American railroads are not permitted to operate long-haul road routes, but the I.C.C. decision of 1954 did permit them to solicit trailer business in, say, New York for Chicago provided the trailer was piggybacked in between."
— 1960 November, David Morgan, “"Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 683:
"That fruit […] sollicited her longing eye."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"Should
My brother henceforth study to forget
The vow that he hath made thee, I would ever
Solicit thy deserts."
— 1628, John Ford, The Lover's Melancholy:
"But anxious fears solicit my weak breast."
— 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 3:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The charity volunteers will ____ donations from people on the street.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The organization is not allowed to ____ donations within the boundaries of the public park.