demand

demand [di mand′, dimänd′]

vt.

[ME demaunden < OFr demander, to demand < L demandare, to give in charge < de-, away, from + mandare, to entrust: see MANDATE]

1. to ask for boldly or urgently

2. to ask for as a right or with authority

3. to order to appear; summon

4. to ask to know or be informed of

5. to call for as necessary; require; need [the work demands patience]

6. Law to ask relief in court for (what is due one)

vi.

to make a demand

n.

1. the act of demanding

2. a thing demanded

3. a strong or authoritative request

4. an urgent requirement or claim

5. Obs. a question; query

6. Econ. the desire for a commodity together with ability to pay for it; also, the amount people are ready and able to buy at a certain price: opposed to SUPPLY¹

7. Law a peremptory claim which presupposes no doubt of the claimant's rights

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in demand

wanted or sought

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on demand

when presented for payment

SYN.- DEMAND implies a calling for as due or necessary, connoting a peremptory exercise of authority or an imperative need [to demand obedience ]; CLAIM implies a demanding of something as allegedly belonging to one [to claim a throne ]; REQUIRE suggests a pressing need, often one inherent in the nature of a thing, or the binding power of rules or laws [aliens are required to register ]; EXACT implies a demanding and the enforcing of the demand at the same time [an exacting foreman ]