petition

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   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.

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

2. 2
   noun

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

   a petition to aid

3. 3
   verb

   To make a petition to (a sovereign or political authority).

   The villagers petitioned the council to demolish the dangerous building.

4. 4
   noun

   a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

5. 5
   noun

   reverent petition to a deity

6. 6
   verb

   write a petition for something to somebody

7. 7
   noun

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

Etymology

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