solicit

English

Alternative forms

• sollicit (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English soliciten, solliciten, from Old French soliciter, solliciter, from the present active participle of Latin sollicitō (“stir, disturb; look after”), from sollicitus (“agitated, anxious, punctilious”, literally “thoroughly moved”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + perfect passive participle of cieō (“shake, excite, cite, to put in motion”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: sə-lĭs'ĭt, IPA^(key): /səˈlɪsɪt/

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• Rhymes: -ɪsɪt

Verb

solicit (third-person singular simple present solicits, present participle soliciting, simple past and past participle solicited)

1. (transitive) To persistently endeavor to obtain an object, or bring about an event.

   to solicit alms, or a favour

   Synonyms: supplicate, thig

   • 1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: W Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, , published 1717, →OCLC:

     I view my crime, but kindle at the view, / Repent old pleasures, and solicit new.
     Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me?

2. (transitive) To woo; to court.

   Synonyms: address, romance

   • 1960 November, David Morgan, “"Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 683:

     American railroads are not permitted to operate long-haul road routes, but the I.C.C. decision of 1954 did permit them to solicit trailer business in, say, New York for Chicago provided the trailer was piggybacked in between.

3. (transitive) To persuade or incite one to commit some act, especially illegal or sexual behavior.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC:

     That fruit […] sollicited her longing eye.

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. , London: Eliz Holt, for Thomas Basset, , →OCLC:
     , Book II, Chapter 1

     Sounds and some tangible qualities fail not to solicit their proper senses, and force an entrance to the mind.

   If you want to lose your virginity, you should try to solicit some fine looking women.

4. (transitive) To offer to perform sexual activity, especially when for a payment.

   My girlfriend tried to solicit me for sex, but I was tired.

5. To make a petition.

   Synonyms: appeal, request

6. (archaic, transitive) To disturb or trouble; to harass.
7. (transitive) To urge the claims of; to plead; to act as solicitor for or with reference to.

   Synonym: plead

   • 1628, John Ford, The Lover's Melancholy:

     Should / My brother henceforth study to forget / The vow that he hath made thee, I would ever / Solicit thy deserts.

8. (obsolete, rare, transitive) To disturb; to disquiet.

   Synonym: worry

   • 1611-1615, George Chapman, Iliad, Book XVI

     Hath any ill solicited thine ears?

   • 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. , London: Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC, Act I, page 3:

     But anxious fears solicit my weak breast.

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• “solicit”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “solicit”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Noun

solicit

1. (archaic) solicitation

Anagrams

• colitis