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request

[ri-kwest]
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noun
  1. the act of asking for something to be given or done, especially as a favor or courtesy; solicitation or petition: At his request, they left.
  2. an instance of this: There have been many requests for the product.
  3. a written statement of petition: If you need supplies, send in a request.
  4. something asked for: to obtain one's request.
  5. the state of being asked for; demand.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to ask for, especially politely or formally: He requested permission to speak.
  2. to ask or beg; bid (usually followed by a clause or an infinitive): to request that he leave; to request to be excused.
  3. to ask or beg (someone) to do something: He requested me to go.
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Idioms
  1. by request, in response or accession to a request: The orchestra played numbers by request.
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Origin of request

1300–50; Middle English requeste (noun) < Old French < Vulgar Latin *requaesita things asked for, noun use of neuter plural past participle of *requaerere to seek, for Latin requīrere. See require, quest
Related formsre·quest·er, nounpre·re·quest, noun, verb (used with object)un·re·quest·ed, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for request on Thesaurus.com
1. entreaty, supplication, prayer. 6. petition, supplicate. 8. entreat, beseech.

Synonym study

7. See beg1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for requesting

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The requesting of permission to do so, it struck him, might open the way to conversation.

  • I noticed that many of the readers wrote in, requesting reprints.

  • Or, at all events, the lady might not know what had become of them and be requesting their return.

    Fair Harbor

    Joseph Crosby Lincoln

  • Editors of other periodicals began to write to me requesting contributions.

    Kent Knowles: Quahaug

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • I opened it; it was a message from Lady Charlotte, requesting to see me in her room.

    Jack Hinton

    Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for requesting

request

verb (tr)
  1. to express a desire for, esp politely; ask for or demandto request a bottle of wine
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noun
    1. the act or an instance of requesting, esp in the form of a written statement; petition or solicitationa request for a song
    2. (as modifier)a request programme
  2. at the request of in accordance with the specific demand or wish of (someone)
  3. by request in accordance with someone's desire
  4. in request in demand; popularhe is in request in concert halls all over the world
  5. on request on the occasion of a demand or requestapplication forms are available on request
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Derived Formsrequester, noun

Word Origin

C14: from Old French requeste, from Vulgar Latin requaerere (unattested) to seek after; see require, quest
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

Word Origin and History for requesting

request

n.

mid-14c., from Old French requeste (Modern French requête) "a request," from Vulgar Latin *requaesita, from Latin requisita "a thing asked for," fem. of requisitus "requested, demanded," from past participle stem of requirere (see require).

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request

v.

1530s, from request (n.) or from Middle French requester, from Old French requester "ask again, request, reclaim," from requeste. Related: Requested; requesting.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with requesting

request

see at someone's request; by request; on request.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.