appeal
an earnest request for aid, support, sympathy, mercy, etc.; entreaty; petition; plea.
a request or reference to some person or authority for a decision, corroboration, judgment, etc.
Law.
an application or proceeding for review by a higher tribunal.
(in a legislative body or assembly) a formal question as to the correctness of a ruling by a presiding officer.
Obsolete. a formal charge or accusation.
the power or ability to attract, interest, amuse, or stimulate the mind or emotions: The game has lost its appeal.
Obsolete. a summons or challenge.
to ask for aid, support, mercy, sympathy, or the like; make an earnest entreaty: The college appealed to its alumni for funds.
Law. to apply for review of a case or particular issue to a higher tribunal.
to have need of or ask for proof, a decision, corroboration, etc.
to be especially attractive, pleasing, interesting, or enjoyable: The red hat appeals to me.
Law.
to apply for review of (a case) to a higher tribunal.
Obsolete. to charge with a crime before a tribunal.
Idioms about appeal
appeal to the country, British. country (def. 15).
Origin of appeal
1synonym study For appeal
word story For appeal
The Old French verb apeler is a regular French development from Latin appellāre “to speak to, address, name, call upon (for help), solicit, demand repayment, charge, accuse.” The Latin and Old French sense that prevails in English is “to refer or call to a higher authority (e.g., to the emperor or a higher judge).”
Appellāre is a frequentative derived from the verb appellere “to drive (cattle, equipment), to go or land ashore,” which develops the sense “to call to, address.”
The meaning “to be attractive or pleasing” developed from the earlier meaning “to address oneself, as to a class of people or to a principle of moral conduct, in expectation of a sympathetic response.”
Other words for appeal
Other words from appeal
- ap·peal·a·bil·i·ty, noun
- ap·peal·a·ble, adjective
- ap·peal·er, noun
- non·ap·peal·a·bil·i·ty, noun
- non·ap·peal·a·ble, adjective
- re·ap·peal, verb
- un·ap·pealed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use appeal in a sentence
It likely would have appealed to many business people on Main Street, few of whom are free-market fundamentalists.
“They knew what we were saying was true, and we appealed to them as mothers,” Jones said.
Eric Garner Protests: ‘It’s Like Vietnam’ | Abby Haglage, Caitlin Dickson, Jacob Siegel, Chris Allbritton | December 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe storyline also gave Lady Grantham more agency, which appealed to McGovern.
Elizabeth McGovern on the ‘Downton Abbey’ Xmas Album and Lady Grantham’s Kiss with George Clooney | Marlow Stern | November 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTKnox has not been extradited to Italy while the case is appealed.
Amanda Knox, Cub Reporter: The Convicted Murderer Is Now Writing Theater Reviews for a Small Seattle Paper | Justin Miller | November 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut one day, scanning the classified ads in The Minneapolis Tribune, she saw a job opportunity that appealed to her.
A great-granddaughter of Fragonard, she seems to have inherited his talent; Corot and Renoir forcibly appealed to her.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D. | Clara Erskine ClementBoth had appealed to Napoleon; consequently there was a decent pretext for sending a French army into Spain.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonThe lower class were idle and lazy, and willing to serve any sovereign who appealed to them by ostentation.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonStill, the Prince foresaw the future, and appealed to the Emperor himself, but the Emperor was obdurate.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonWhen the time for open action arrived, Bruce appealed to his father's men of Annandale.
King Robert the Bruce | A. F. Murison
British Dictionary definitions for appeal
/ (əˈpiːl) /
a request for relief, aid, etc
the power to attract, please, stimulate, or interest: a dress with appeal
an application or resort to another person or authority, esp a higher one, as for a decision or confirmation of a decision
law
the judicial review by a superior court of the decision of a lower tribunal
a request for such review
the right to such review
cricket a verbal request to the umpire from one or more members of the fielding side to declare a batsman out
English law (formerly) a formal charge or accusation: appeal of felony
(intr) to make an earnest request for relief, support, etc
(intr) to attract, please, stimulate, or interest
law to apply to a superior court to review (a case or particular issue decided by a lower tribunal)
(intr) to resort (to), as for a decision or confirmation of a decision
(intr) cricket to ask the umpire to declare a batsman out
(intr) to challenge the umpire's or referee's decision
Origin of appeal
1Derived forms of appeal
- appealable, adjective
- appealer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse