Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense solicits, present participle soliciting, past tense, past participle solicited
1. verb
If you solicit money, help, support, or an opinion from someone, you ask them for it.
[formal]
He's already solicited their support on health care reform. [VERB noun]
No tuition was charged by the school, which solicited contributions from the society'smembers. [VERB noun + from]
Synonyms: request, seek, ask for, petition More Synonyms of solicit
2. verb
When prostitutes solicit, they offer to have sex with people in return for money.
Prostitutes were forbidden to solicit on public roads and in public places. [VERB]
Synonyms: work as a prostitute, tout for business, make sexual advances, engage in prostitution More Synonyms of solicit
solicitinguncountable noun
Girls could get very heavy sentences for soliciting–nine months or more.
More Synonyms of solicit
solicit in British English
(səˈlɪsɪt)
verbWord forms: -its, -iting or -ited
1. (whenintr, foll by for)
to make a request, application, or entreaty to (a person for business, support, etc)
2.
to accost (a person) with an offer of sexual relations in return for money
3.
to provoke or incite (a person) to do something wrong or illegal
Derived forms
solicitation (soˌliciˈtation)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Old French solliciter to disturb, from Latin sollicitāre to harass, from sollicitus agitated, from sollus whole + citus, from ciēre to excite
solicit in American English
(səˈlɪsɪt)
verb transitive
1.
to ask or seek earnestly or pleadingly; appeal to or for
to solicit aid, to solicit members for donations
2.
to tempt or entice (someone) to do wrong
3.
to approach for some immoral purpose, as a prostitute does
verb intransitive
4.
to solicit someone or something
SIMILAR WORDS: beg
Derived forms
solicitant (soˈlicitant) (səˈlɪsɪtənt)
noun, adjective
solicitation (soˌliciˈtation)
noun
Word origin
ME soliciten < MFr solliciter < L sollicitare < sollicitus: see solicitous
Examples of 'solicit' in a sentence
solicit
They were soliciting support for a big budget increase.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The second interesting part of this letter is its businesslike approach to soliciting further support for scientific research.
Porush, David A Short Guide to Writing About Science (1995)
He said they were protesting peacefully against education reforms and soliciting money for student union activities when the police opened fire.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The Government says that it wants to solicit opinion from all interested parties.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A day of canvassing often ends with a night of phone calls to solicit more support.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It was with no little pleasure that he returned to the store to try on some clothes, soliciting the help of the manager who had evicted him.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He was held last month and charged with trying to solicit bribes and offering the President-elect's vacant seat to the highest bidder.
The Sun (2009)
Large investors in the FTSE 100 insurer have written to it to demand it solicit takeover offers.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
solicit
British English: solicit VERB
If you solicit money, help, support, or an opinion from someone, you ask them for it.
He's already solicited their support on health care reform.
American English: solicit
Brazilian Portuguese: solicitar
Chinese: 请求给予
European Spanish: solicitar
French: solliciter
German: erbitten
Italian: sollecitare
Japanese: 要請する
Korean: 간청하다
European Portuguese: solicitar
Latin American Spanish: solicitar
1 (verb)
Definition
to seek or request, esp. formally
He's already solicited their support on health care reform.
Synonyms
request
the right to request a divorce
seek
She sought financial advice from her accountant.
ask for
petition
crave (informal)
If I may crave your lordship's indulgence, I would like to consult my client.
pray for
plead for
canvass
beg for
2 (verb)
She was soliciting a donation from a rich tycoon.
Synonyms
appeal to
ask
We had to ask him to leave.
call on
lobby
Gun control advocates are lobbying hard for new laws.
press
The trade unions are pressing him to stand firm.
beg
I begged him to come back to England with me.
petition
She is petitioning to regain ownership of the business.
plead with
implore
`Tell me what to do!' she implored him.
beseech
She beseeched him to take more exercise.
entreat
They entreated the audience to stay calm.
importune (formal)
beggars importuning passers-by
supplicate
3 (verb)
Definition
to approach a person with an offer of sex in return for money
Prostitutes were forbidden to solicit on public roads and in public places.
Synonyms
work as a prostitute
tout for business
make sexual advances
engage in prostitution
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ask
We had to ask him to leave.
Synonyms
request,
apply to,
appeal to,
plead with,
demand,
urge,
sue,
pray,
beg,
petition,
crave (informal),
solicit,
implore,
enjoin,
beseech,
entreat,
supplicate
in the sense of beg
Definition
to ask formally, humbly, or earnestly
I begged him to come back to England with me.
Synonyms
implore,
plead with,
beseech,
desire (formal),
request,
pray,
petition,
conjure (formal),
crave (informal),
solicit,
entreat,
importune (formal),
supplicate,
go on bended knee to
in the sense of beseech
Definition
to ask earnestly
She beseeched him to take more exercise.
Synonyms
beg,
ask,
petition,
call upon,
plead with,
solicit,
implore,
entreat,
importune (formal),
adjure,
supplicate,
pray
Nearby words of
solicit
solemn
solemnity
solemnize
solicit
solicitor
solicitous
solicitude
Synonyms of 'solicit'
solicit
Explore 'solicit' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of crave
Definition
to beg or plead for
If I may crave your lordship's indulgence, I would like to consult my client.
Synonyms
beg,
ask for,
seek,
petition,
pray for,
plead for,
solicit,
implore,
beseech,
entreat,
supplicate
in the sense of entreat
Definition
to ask (someone) earnestly to do something
They entreated the audience to stay calm.
Synonyms
beg,
ask,
appeal to,
petition,
pray to,
conjure (formal),
request,
plead with,
exhort (formal),
implore,
enjoin,
beseech,
importune (formal),
ask earnestly,
supplicate
in the sense of implore
Definition
to beg desperately
`Tell me what to do!' she implored him.
Synonyms
beg,
beseech,
entreat,
conjure (formal),
plead with,
solicit,
pray to,
importune (formal),
crave of,
supplicate,
go on bended knee to
in the sense of importune
Definition
to harass with persistent requests
beggars importuning passers-by
Synonyms
pester,
press,
plague,
hound,
harass,
besiege,
badger,
beset,
solicit,
dun,
lay siege to,
entreat
in the sense of lobby
Definition
to attempt to influence (legislators) in the formulation of policy
Gun control advocates are lobbying hard for new laws.
Synonyms
campaign,
press,
pressure,
push,
influence,
promote,
urge,
persuade,
appeal,
petition,
pull strings (British, informal),
exert influence,
bring pressure to bear,
solicit votes
in the sense of petition
Definition
to address or present a petition to (a government or to someone in authority)
She is petitioning to regain ownership of the business.