petition
verb/pəˈtɪʃn/
/pəˈtɪʃn/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they petition | /pəˈtɪʃn/ /pəˈtɪʃn/ |
| he / she / it petitions | /pəˈtɪʃnz/ /pəˈtɪʃnz/ |
| past simple petitioned | /pəˈtɪʃnd/ /pəˈtɪʃnd/ |
| past participle petitioned | /pəˈtɪʃnd/ /pəˈtɪʃnd/ |
| -ing form petitioning | /pəˈtɪʃnɪŋ/ /pəˈtɪʃnɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to make a formal request to somebody in authority, especially by sending them a petition
- petition for/against something Local residents have successfully petitioned against the siting of a prison in their area.
- petition somebody/something (for something) The group intends to petition Parliament for reform of the law.
- petition somebody/something to do something Parents petitioned the school to review its admission policy.
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- [intransitive, transitive] to formally ask for something in court
- petition for something His wife has petitioned for divorce.
- petition somebody/something (for something) He petitioned the court for a new trial.
- petition somebody/something to do something She petitioned the judge to restore her licence.
Word OriginMiddle English: from Latin petitio(n-), from petit- ‘aimed at, sought, laid claim to’, from the verb petere.
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petition