Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: LAW

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: Latin petitio, from petere 'to try to get or find'

petition

1 noun
     
pe‧ti‧tion1 [countable]
1PP a written request signed by a lot of people, asking someone in authority to do something or change something
petition for/against
a petition against the new road
They wanted me to sign a petition against experiments on animals.
Local residents have drawn up a petition to protest the hospital closure.
petition drive American English (=an attempt to get a lot of people to sign a petition)
2 lawSCL an official letter to a law court, asking for a legal case to be considered
petition for
She is threatening to file a petition for divorce.
3 formal a formal prayer or request to someone in authority or to God
Definition of petition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic LAW
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