SUPPLICATE

supplicate

(verb) ask humbly (for something); “He supplicated the King for clemency”

supplicate

(verb) ask for humbly or earnestly, as in prayer; “supplicate God’s blessing”

supplicate

(verb) make a humble, earnest petition; “supplicate for permission”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

supplicate (third-person singular simple present supplicates, present participle supplicating, simple past and past participle supplicated)

(transitive) To humble oneself before (another) in making a request; to beg or beseech.

(transitive) To entreat for; to ask for earnestly and humbly.

(transitive) To address in prayer; to entreat as a supplicant.

(intransitive, Oxford University) To request that an academic degree is awarded at a ceremony.

Source: Wiktionary


Sup"pli*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Supplicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Supplicating.] Etym: [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, v. t.). 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.

Syn.

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

Sup"pli*cate, v. i.

Definition: To make petition with earnestness and submission; to implore. A man can not brook to supplicate or beg. Bacon.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

17 May 2025

ANTHOZOAN

(noun) sessile marine coelenterates including solitary and colonial polyps; the medusoid phase is entirely suppressed


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Coffee Trivia

In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.

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