(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
A ~ is a document signed by a lot of people which asks a government or other official group to do a particular thing.
We recently presented the government with a ~ signed by 4,500 people.
N-COUNT: usu with supp
2.
A ~ is a formal request made to a court of law for some legal action to be taken. (LEGAL)
His lawyers filed a ~ for all charges to be dropped...
N-COUNT
3.
If you ~ someone in authority, you make a formal request to them. (FORMAL or LEGAL)
...couples ~ing for divorce...
All the attempts to ~ the Congress had failed...
She’s ~ing to regain custody of the child.
VERB: V for n, V n, V to-inf, also V for n to-inf, V n for n