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entreaty

entreaty

7 7.6
A serious, urgent request for help or forgiveness
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈtriːti/
translation icon : súplica
  • The child looked up with an entreaty in her eyes, hoping her parents would let her stay up late.
  • resisted entreaties

They made all these entreaties to the UN, to international organizations.

Examples

  • And it works; God hears their entreaty and sheathes his sword.

    Academic text (2005)
  • They made all these entreaties to the UN, to international organizations.

  • And at his entreaty, it was practically arranged that I give you in marriage to him.

  • Sir, may we hope... ...that a formal entreaty to the authorities in Richmond... ...may effect a transfer of the entire brigade to the valley?

  • In his eyes, I thought I read both entreaty and forgiveness; but I can't be sure.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • We are not here to make threats, merely entreaties.

  • Then, he repeats his whispered entreaty: to clean their refuge.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • At the mute entreaty in Nate's eyes, she stopped and left the sentence unfinished.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Credited in part to the success of Washington's eloquent entreaty, the Atlantans received their funding.

    Blog text (22)
  • Momoko, unable to withstand her parents' entreaties any longer, would be leaving Matsumoto at the end of the summer.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

prayer
vsentreaty
289 2.5

A serious request to someone in charge asking for help

is more about deep feeling and seriousness than about who is addressed
plea
vsentreaty
195 3.9

A strong request asking people for help or support

is more emotionally intense and urgent than the humble request
appeal
vsentreaty
136 2.9

A serious request for help or action

is more inwardly emotional and serious rather than broadly requesting action
petition
vsentreaty
  • Formal
11 4.6

A request made to a god for help or blessing

is urgent and deeply emotional rather than solemnly reverent
supplication
vsentreaty
  • Formal
8 8.7

A humble request for help from someone in power or from God

is emotional and urgent but not necessarily humble or prayerful
imploration
vsentreaty
8.5

A strong, urgent request for help

is urgent and earnest but less desperate in tone
suppliance
vsentreaty
  • Archaic
9.9

A humble request that someone makes to a person in power

is more emotionally urgent and personal than the formal act of asking

Antonyms

122 1.4

An act of saying you will not accept or agree to something

61 2.8

Refusing a request or saying something is not true

How Earnest

entreaty
7 7.6
plea
195 3.9
request
1.0

Surface Forms

entreaty singular
entreaties plural

Morphology

entreaty = entreat (transparent) = entreat + y

Formed directly from the verb 'entreat' with the noun-forming suffix '-y', so the meaning 'an earnest request' is predictable.

Etymology

Entreaty comes from the verb entreat, which is built on the same root as treat and originally meant to 'deal with' or negotiate between people. So an entreaty is a serious or emotional 'request'—you are asking someone to act or help.