Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To express a desire for, especially politely; ask for. Often used with an infinitive or clause.
  • transitive verb To ask (a person) to do something.
  • noun An act of asking for something.
  • noun Something asked for.
  • idiom (by request) In response to an expressed desire.
  • idiom (in request) In great demand.
  • idiom (on/upon) When asked for.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make a request for; ask; solicit; express desire for.
  • To express a request to; ask.
  • Synonyms Beg. Beseech, etc., (see ask), desire, petition for.
  • noun The expression of desire to some person for something to be granted or done; an asking; a petition; a prayer; an entreaty.
  • noun That which is asked for or requested.
  • noun A question.
  • noun The state of being desired, or held in such estimation as to be sought after, pursued, or asked for.
  • noun An English tribunal of a special jurisdiction for the recovery of small debts.
  • noun Letters formerly granted by the Lord Privy Seal preparatory to granting letters of marque.
  • noun Synonyms Petition, Suit, etc. (see prayer), solicitation. See ask.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of asking for anything desired; expression of desire or demand; solicitation; prayer; petition; entreaty.
  • noun That which is asked for or requested.
  • noun A state of being desired or held in such estimation as to be sought after or asked for; demand.
  • noun [Eng.] A court of equity for the relief of such persons as addressed the sovereign by supplication; -- now abolished. It was inferior to the Court of Chancery.
  • transitive verb To ask for (something); to express desire ffor; to solicit.
  • transitive verb To address with a request; to ask.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Act of requesting.
  • noun Formal message requesting something.
  • noun Condition of being sought after.
  • verb to express the need or desire for
  • verb to ask somebody to do something

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb ask (a person) to do something
  • verb express the need or desire for; ask for
  • noun the verbal act of requesting
  • verb inquire for (information)
  • noun a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English requeste, the act of requesting, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *(rēs) requaesita, (thing) requested, from alteration of Latin requīsīta, feminine past participle of requīrere, to ask for; see require.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French requeste (French: requête), from Vulgar Latin *requæsita, from Latin requisita, feminine of requisitus ("requested, demanded"), past participle of requīrō ("require, ask").

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