I. pe ‧ ti ‧ tion 1 /pəˈtɪʃ ə n, pɪˈtɪʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin petitio , from petere 'to try to get or find' ]
1 . a written request signed by a lot of people, asking someone in authority to do something or change something
petition for/against
a petition against the new road
They wanted me to sign a petition against experiments on animals.
Local residents have drawn up a petition to protest the hospital closure.
petition drive American English (=an attempt to get a lot of people to sign a petition)
2 . law an official letter to a law court, asking for a legal case to be considered
petition for
She is threatening to file a petition for divorce.
3 . formal a formal prayer or request to someone in authority or to God
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ sign a petition
Five hundred villagers have signed the petition.
▪ draw up a petition (=prepare one)
They are drawing up a petition which will be presented to the Archbishop.
▪ organize a petition
Local residents organized a petition against the closure of the library.
▪ present/deliver a petition
A group of pensioners went to London to present the petition.
▪ a petition calling for something/demanding something
A petition calling for an inquiry was signed by 15,118 people.
▪ a petition opposing something
458 local people signed a petition opposing the move.
■ petition + NOUN
▪ a petition drive American English (=an attempt to get a lot of people to sign a petition)
More than 20,000 signatures were gathered by the petition drive.
II. petition 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1 . to ask the government or an organization to do something by sending them a petition
petition somebody to do something
Villagers petitioned the local authority to provide better bus services.
petition against/for
Residents are petitioning against the new road.
2 . law or formal to make a formal request to someone in authority, to a court of law, or to God
petition for
More and more couples are petitioning for divorce.