appeal

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   (law) a legal proceeding in which the appellant resorts to a higher court for the purpose of obtaining a review of a lower court decision and a reversal of the lower court's judgment or the granting of a new trial

   their appeal was denied in the superior court

2. 2
   noun

   attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

   Your smile was part of your appeal to them.

3. 3
   noun

   request for a sum of money

   an appeal to raise money for starving children

4. 4
   verb

   to request earnestly

   I appealed for leniency.

5. 5
   verb

   to cite as an authority

   I appealed to a prestigious reference work.

6. 6
   verb

   to be attractive to

   The idea of a vacation appeals to me.

7. 7
   verb

   to take a court case to a higher court for review

   They were found guilty but appealed immediately.

8. 8
   verb

   to challenge a decision

   They appealed the verdict.

Etymology

From Middle English apel, appel (“formal accusation brought in court; a challenge to trial by combat; an appeal to a higher court or authority; plea (for mercy, protection, etc.); pealing (of bells)”) [and other forms], from Old French apel (“a call”) (modern French appel (“a call; an appeal”)), from apeler (“to call; to call out”), from Latin appellāre (“to address as, call by name; to drive, move to; to land or put ashore”), alternative form adpellāre, from ad- (prefix meaning ‘to; towards’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd (“at; to”)) + pellere (“to drive, impel, push; to hurl, pr…