Definition of APPEAL

appeal

Meanings

Plural: appeals

Noun

  • earnest or urgent request
    • "an appeal for help"
    • "an appeal to the public to keep calm"
  • attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
    • "his smile was part of his appeal to her"
  • (law) a legal proceeding in which the appellant resorts to a higher court for the purpose of obtaining a review of a lower court decision and a reversal of the lower court's judgment or the granting of a new trial
    • "their appeal was denied in the superior court"
  • request for a sum of money
    • "an appeal to raise money for starving children"
  • An application to a superior court or judge for a decision or order by an inferior court or judge to be reviewed and overturned.
  • The legal document or form by which such an application is made; also, the court case in which the application is argued.
  • A person's legal right to apply to court for such a review.
  • An accusation or charge against someone for wrongdoing (especially treason).
  • A process which formerly might be instituted by one private person against another for some heinous crime demanding punishment for the particular injury suffered, rather than for the offence against the public; an accusation.
  • At common law, an accusation made against a felon by one of their accomplices (called an approver).
  • A call to a person or an authority for a decision, help, or proof; an entreaty, an invocation.
  • A call to a person or an authority for a decision, help, or proof; an entreaty, an invocation.
  • The act, by the fielding side, of asking an umpire for a decision on whether a batsman is out or not.
  • A resort to some physical means; a recourse.
  • A power to attract or interest.
  • A call to, or the use of, a principle or quality for purposes of persuasion.
  • A summons to defend one's honour in a duel, or one's innocence in a trial by combat; a challenge.

Verb

  • take a court case to a higher court for review
    • "He was found guilty but appealed immediately"
  • request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection
    • "appeal to somebody for help"
  • be attractive to
    • "The idea of a vacation appeals to me"
  • challenge (a decision)
    • "She appealed the verdict"
  • cite as an authority; resort to
    • "I appealed to the law of 1900"
  • Often followed by against (the inferior court's decision) or to (the superior court): to apply to a superior court or judge for a decision or order by an inferior court or judge to be reviewed and overturned.
  • To apply to a superior court or judge to review and overturn (a decision or order by an inferior court or judge).
  • To accuse or charge (someone) with wrongdoing (especially treason).
  • Of a private person: to instituted legal proceedings (against another private person) for some heinous crime, demanding punishment for the particular injury suffered.
  • Of the accomplice of a felon: to make an accusation at common law against (the felon).
  • To call upon a person or an authority to corroborate a statement, to decide a controverted question, or to vindicate one's rights; to entreat, to invoke.
  • To call upon a person or an authority to corroborate a statement, to decide a controverted question, or to vindicate one's rights; to entreat, to invoke.
  • Of a fielding side; to ask an umpire for a decision on whether a batsman is out or not, usually by saying "How's that?" or "Howzat?".
  • To call upon someone for a favour, help, etc.
  • To have recourse or resort to some physical means.
  • To be attractive.
  • To summon (someone) to defend their honour in a duel, or their innocence in a trial by combat; to challenge.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English apel, appel (“formal accusation brought in court; a challenge to trial by combat; an appeal to a higher court or authority; plea (for mercy, protection, etc.); pealing (of bells)”) [and other forms], from Old French apel (“a call”) (modern French appel (“a call; an appeal”)), from apeler (“to call; to call out”), from Latin appellāre (“to address as, call by name; to drive, move to; to land or put ashore”), alternative form adpellāre, from ad- (prefix meaning ‘to; towards’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd (“at; to”)) + pellere (“to drive, impel, push; to hurl, propel; to banish, expel; to eject, thrust out”) + -āre, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pelh₂- (“to approach”), from *pel- (“to beat; to drive; to push”). Doublet of appel.

Antonyms

repel

Scrabble Score: 10

appeal is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
appeal is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
appeal is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

appeal is a valid Words With Friends word