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Webster 1913 Edition


Petition

Pe-ti′tion

,
Noun.
[F.
pétition
, L.
petitio
, fr.
petere
,
petitum
, to beg, ask, seek; perh. akin to E.
feather
, or
find
.]
1.
A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.
A house of prayer and
petition
for thy people.
1 Macc. vii. 37.
This last
petition
heard of all her prayer.
Dryden.
2.
A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it.
4.
The written document containing a
petition
(senses 1 or 2).
Petition of right
(Law)
,
a petition to obtain possession or restitution of property, either real or personal, from the Crown, which suggests such a title as controverts the title of the Crown, grounded on facts disclosed in the petition itself.
Mozley & W.
The Petition of Right
(Eng. Hist.)
,
the parliamentary declaration of the rights of the people, assented to by Charles I.

Pe-ti′tion

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Petitioned
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Petitioning
.]
To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government;
as, to
petition
the court; to
petition
the governor.
You have . . .
petitioned
all the gods for my prosperity.
Shakespeare

Pe-ti′tion

,
Verb.
I.
To make a petition or solicitation.

Webster 1828 Edition


Petition

PETI'TION

,
Noun.
[L. petitio, from peto, to ask, properly to urge or press.]
1.
In a general sense, a request, supplication or prayer; but chiefly and appropriately, a solemn or formal supplication; a prayer addressed by a person to the Supreme Being, for something needed or desired, or a branch or particular article of prayer.
2.
A formal request or supplication, verbal or written; particularly, a written supplication from an inferior to a superior, either to a single person clothed with power, or to a legislative or other body, soliciting some favor, grant, right or mercy.
3.
The paper containing a supplication or solicitation. Much of the time of our legislative bodies is consumed in attending to private petitions. The speaker's table is often loaded with petitions. Petitions to the king of Great Britain must contain nothing reflecting on the administration.

PETI'TION

,
Verb.
T.
To make a request to; to ask from; to solicit; particularly, to make supplication to a superior for some favor or right; as, to petition the legislature; to petition a court of chancery.
The mother petitioned her goddess to bestow on them the greatest gift that could be given.

Definition 2024


pétition

pétition

See also: petition and Petition

French

Noun

pétition f (plural pétitions)

  1. petition

Derived terms