English Dictionary

PETITION

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does petition mean? 

PETITION (noun)
  The noun PETITION has 2 senses:

1. a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authorityplay

2. reverent petition to a deityplay

  Familiarity information: PETITION used as a noun is rare.


PETITION (verb)
  The verb PETITION has 1 sense:

1. write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writingplay

  Familiarity information: PETITION used as a verb is very rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


PETITION (noun)


Sense 1

Meaning:

A formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

petition; postulation; request

Hypernyms ("petition" is a kind of...):

content; message; subject matter; substance (what a communication that is about something is about)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "petition"):

application (a verbal or written request for assistance or employment or admission to a school)

appeal; collection; ingathering; solicitation (request for a sum of money)

demand (an urgent or peremptory request)

Derivation:

petition (write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing)

petitionary (of the nature of or expressing a petition)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Reverent petition to a deity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

orison; petition; prayer

Hypernyms ("petition" is a kind of...):

asking; request (the verbal act of requesting)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "petition"):

prayer wheel (a cylinder with prayers written on it; each revolution counts as uttering the prayers; used especially by Buddhists in Tibet)

benediction; blessing (a ceremonial prayer invoking divine protection)

collect (a short prayer generally preceding the lesson in the Church of Rome or the Church of England)

commination (prayers proclaiming God's anger against sinners; read in the Church of England on Ash Wednesday)

deprecation (a prayer to avert or remove some evil or disaster)

blessing; grace; thanksgiving (a short prayer of thanks before a meal)

intercession (a prayer to God on behalf of another person)

invocation; supplication (a prayer asking God's help as part of a religious service)

requiescat (a prayer for the repose of the soul of a dead person)


PETITION (verb)

 Conjugation: 
Present simple: I / you / we / they petition  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation ... he / she / it petitions  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past simple: petitioned  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past participle: petitioned  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
-ing form: petitioning  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "petition" is one way to...):

ask for; bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "petition"):

supplicate (make a humble, earnest petition)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They petition to move

Derivation:

petition (a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority)

petitioner (someone who petitions a court for redress of a grievance or recovery of a right)


 Context examples 


"Curiosity is a dangerous petition: it is well I have not taken a vow to accord every request—"

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"It's all right. Get up, and don't be a goose, Jo," was the cavalier reply to her petition.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She had obtained private intelligence that Mr. Darcy did not wish for cards; and Mr. Hurst soon found even his open petition rejected.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

In our journey towards Lagado, the capital city, his majesty ordered that the island should stop over certain towns and villages, from whence he might receive the petitions of his subjects.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Mr. Micawber had stated his idea of this petition to the club, and the club had strongly approved of the same.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

My fears, however, were groundless, for he held up his two hands imploringly, and made his petition in a moving manner.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The whole walk was delightful, and though it ended too soon, its conclusion was delightful too; her friends attended her into the house, and Miss Tilney, before they parted, addressing herself with respectful form, as much to Mrs. Allen as to Catherine, petitioned for the pleasure of her company to dinner on the day after the next.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I could have screamed aloud; I sought with tears and prayers to smother down the crowd of hideous images and sounds with which my memory swarmed against me; and still, between the petitions, the ugly face of my iniquity stared into my soul.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Ask me something now, Jane,—the least thing: I desire to be entreated—Indeed I will, sir; I have my petition all ready.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield; and Kitty begged very hard for a few balls there every winter.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Learn to walk before you run." (English proverb)

"It's better to say «good work» than «I hope to find you well»." (Albanian proverb)

"Good enough for Government work." (American proverb)

"If your friend is like honey, don't eat it all." (Egyptian proverb)



ALSO IN ENGLISH DICTIONARY:


© 2000-2023 AudioEnglish.org | AudioEnglish® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
Contact