Solicit

//səˈlɪsɪt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Solicitation. archaic

    "(1) How many male or female students are named (or otherwise identified) in the context of a solicit? (2) How many words of a solicit are directed to a particular student?"

Verb
  1. 1
    To persistently endeavor to obtain an object, or bring about an event. transitive

    "to solicit alms, or a favour"

  2. 2
    make a solicitation or petition for something desired wordnet
  3. 3
    To woo; to court. transitive

    "American railroads are not permitted to operate long-haul road routes, but the I.C.C. decision of 1954 did permit them to solicit trailer business in, say, New York for Chicago provided the trailer was piggybacked in between."

  4. 4
    incite, move, or persuade to some act of lawlessness or insubordination wordnet
  5. 5
    To persuade or incite one to commit some act, especially illegal or sexual behavior. transitive

    "That fruit […] sollicited her longing eye."

Show 8 more definitions
  1. 6
    approach with an offer of sexual favors wordnet
  2. 7
    To offer to perform sexual activity, especially when for a payment. transitive

    "My girlfriend tried to solicit me for sex, but I was tired."

  3. 8
    make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently wordnet
  4. 9
    To make a petition.
  5. 10
    make amorous advances towards wordnet
  6. 11
    To disturb or trouble; to harass. archaic, transitive
  7. 12
    To urge the claims of; to plead; to act as solicitor for or with reference to. transitive

    "Should My brother henceforth study to forget The vow that he hath made thee, I would ever Solicit thy deserts."

  8. 13
    To disturb; to disquiet. obsolete, rare, transitive

    "1611-1615, George Chapman, Iliad, Book XVI Hath any ill solicited thine ears?"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English soliciten, solliciten, from Old French soliciter, solliciter, borrowed from Latin sollicitō (“stir, disturb; look after”), from sollicitus (“agitated, anxious, punctilious”, literally “thoroughly moved”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + perfect passive participle of cieō (“shake, excite, cite, to put in motion”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English soliciten, solliciten, from Old French soliciter, solliciter, borrowed from Latin sollicitō (“stir, disturb; look after”), from sollicitus (“agitated, anxious, punctilious”, literally “thoroughly moved”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + perfect passive participle of cieō (“shake, excite, cite, to put in motion”).

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