supplicate

Verb

Open English WordNet

Verb (3)supplicated, supplicating

  1. ask humbly (for something)“He supplicated the King for clemency”More general beg, implore
  2. make a humble, earnest petition“supplicate for permission”More general petition
  3. ask for humbly or earnestly, as in prayer“supplicate God's blessing”More general request, ask for

Related words supplicatory adjective, supplicant adjective, plea noun, requester noun, supplicant noun

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Sup′pli·cate transitive verb [past tense & past participle Supplicated; present participle & verbal noun Supplicating.]

Origin: L. supplicatus, p. p. of supplicare to supplicate; of uncertain origin, cf. supplex, supplicis, humbly begging or entreating; perhaps fr. sub under + a word akin to placare to reconcile, appease (cf. Placable), or fr. sub under + plicare to fold, whence the idea of bending the knees (cf. Ply, transitive verb). Cf. Supple.

1. To entreat for; to seek by earnest prayer; to ask for earnestly and humbly; as, to supplicate blessings on Christian efforts to spread the gospel.

2. To address in prayer; to entreat as a supplicant; as, to supplicate the Deity.

Synonyms: To beseech; entreat; beg; petition; implore; importune; solicit; crave. See Beseech.

Sup′pli·cate intransitive verb

To make petition with earnestness and submission; to implore.

A man can not brook to supplicate or beg.— Francis, Baron Verulam Bacon

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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