appeal

appeal [ə pēl′]

vt.

[ME apelen < OFr apeler < L appellare, to accost, apply to, appeal; iterative < appellere, to prepare < ad-, to + pellere: see FELT¹]

1. to make a request to a higher court for the rehearing or review of (a case)

2. Obs. to accuse of a crime

vi.

1. to appeal a law case to a higher court

2. to make an urgent request (to a person for help, sympathy, etc.)

3. to resort or turn (to) for decision, justification, etc. [to appeal to logic]

4. to be attractive, interesting, etc.; arouse a favorable response [her argument appealed to me]

n.

1. a call upon some authority or person for a decision, opinion, etc.

2. an urgent request for help, sympathy, etc.

3. a quality in a person or thing that arouses interest, sympathy, desire, etc.; attraction

4. Obs. an accusation

5. Law

a) the transference of a case to a higher court for rehearing or review

b) a request for this

c) the right to do this

d) a case thus transferred

appealable

adj.

appealing

adj.

appealingly

adv.

SYN.- APPEAL implies an earnest, sometimes urgent request and in legal usage connotes resort to a higher court or authority; PLEAD, applied to formal statements in court answering to allegations or charges, carries into general usage the implication of entreaty by argument [he pleaded for tolerance ]; SUE implies respectful or formal solicitation for relief, a favor, etc.; PETITION implies a formal request, usually in writing and in accordance with established rights; PRAY and SUPPLICATE suggest humility in entreaty and imply that the request is addressed to God or to a superior authority, supplicate in addition suggesting a kneeling or other abjectly prayerful attitude