Adjacent Words

Solicit definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SOLIC'IT, v.t. [L. solicito. I know not whether this word is somple or compound; probably the latter.]
1. To ask with some degree of earnestness; to make petition to; to apply to for obtaining something. This word implies earnestness in seeking, but I think less earnestness in seeking, but I tinks less earnestness than beg, implore, entreat. and importune, and more than ask or request; as when we say, a man solicits the minister for an office; he solicits his father for a favor. Did I solicit thee form darkness to promote me?
2. TO ask for with some degree of earnestness; to seek by petition; as, to solicit an office; to solicit a favor.
3. To awake or excite to action; to summon; to invite. That fruit solicited her longing eye. Sounds and some tangible qualities solicit their proper senses, and force an entrance to the mind.
4. To attempt; to try to obtain. I view my crime, but kindle at the view, repeat old pleasures and solicit nes.
5. TO disturb; to disquiet; a Latinism rarely used. But anxious fears solicit my weak breast.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently; "Henry IV solicited the Pope for a divorce"; "My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities" [syn: solicit, beg, tap]
2: make amorous advances towards; "John is courting Mary" [syn: woo, court, romance, solicit]
3: approach with an offer of sexual favors; "he was solicited by a prostitute"; "The young man was caught soliciting in the park" [syn: hook, solicit, accost]
4: incite, move, or persuade to some act of lawlessness or insubordination; "He was accused of soliciting his colleagues to destroy the documents"
5: make a solicitation or petition for something desired; "She is too shy to solicit"

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle English, to disturb, promote, from Anglo-French solliciter, from Latin sollicitare to disturb, from sollicitus anxious, from sollus whole (from Oscan; akin to Greek holos whole) + citus, past participle of ci?re to move — more at safe, -kinesis Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. a. to make petition to ; entreat b. to approach with a request or plea <solicited Congress for funding> 2. to urge (as one's cause) strongly 3. a. to entice or lure especially into evil b. to proposition (someone) especially as or in the character of a prostitute 4. to try to obtain by usually urgent requests or pleas <solicited donations> intransitive verb 1. to make solicitation ; importune 2. of a prostitute to offer to have sexual relations with someone for money Synonyms: see ask

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. (solicited, soliciting) 1 tr. & (foll. by for) intr. ask repeatedly or earnestly for or seek or invite (business etc.). 2 tr. (often foll. by for) make a request or petition to (a person). 3 tr. accost (a person) and offer one's services as a prostitute. Derivatives: solicitation n. Etymology: ME f. OF solliciter f. L sollicitare agitate f. sollicitus anxious f. sollus entire + citus past part., = set in motion

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Solicit So*lic"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Solicited; p. pr. & vb. n. Soliciting.] [F. sollicier, L. sollicitare, solicitare, -atum, fr. sollicitus wholly (i. e., violently) moved; sollus whole + citus, p. p. of ciere to move, excite. See Solemn, Cite.] 1. To ask from with earnestness; to make petition to; to apply to for obtaining something; as, to solicit person for alms. Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? --Milton. 2. To endeavor to obtain; to seek; to plead for; as, to solicit an office; to solicit a favor. I view my crime, but kindle at the view, Repent old pleasures, and solicit new. --Pope. 3. To awake or excite to action; to rouse desire in; to summon; to appeal to; to invite. That fruit . . . solicited her longing eye. --Milton. Sounds and some tangible qualities solicit their proper senses, and force an entrance to the mind. --Locke. 4. To urge the claims of; to plead; to act as solicitor for or with reference to. [Obs.] Should My brother henceforth study to forget The vow that he hath made thee, I would ever Solicit thy deserts. --Ford. 5. To disturb; to disquiet; -- a Latinism rarely used. Hath any ill solicited thine ears? --Chapman. But anxious fears solicit my weak breast. --Dryden. Syn: Syn. To beseech; ask; request; crave; supplicate; entreat; beg; implore; importune. See Beseech.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(solicits, soliciting, solicited) 1. If you solicit money, help, support, or an opinion from someone, you ask them for it. (FORMAL) He's already solicited their support on health care reform... No tuition was charged by the school, which solicited contributions from the society's members. VERB: V n, V n from n 2. When prostitutes solicit, they offer to have sex with people in return for money. Prostitutes were forbidden to solicit on public roads and in public places. VERB: V • soliciting Girls could get very heavy sentences for soliciting–nine months or more.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Ask (earnestly), request (urgently), entreat, beg, pray, implore, crave, importune, beseech, supplicate, petition, conjure, press, urge, appeal to. 2. Invite, summon, awake to action, excite, awaken, arouse. 3. Disturb, disquiet, make anxious. 4. Seek, endeavor to obtain.

Moby Thesaurus

accost, address, angle for, appeal to, apply, approach, ask, ask for, beg, beseech, bespeak, bid for, call, call on, call upon, canvass, challenge, claim, court, crave, demand, desire, drum, entice, entreat, exact, fish for, go, hustle, implore, importune, look for, lure, make a pass, make advances, make an overture, overture, pander to, petition, pop the question, postulate, pray, proposition, refer, request, require, requisition, resort, seek, sue, sue for, supplicate, throw a pass, turn, woo