/ səˈlɪsɪt; NAmE / verb
1.
solicit sth (from sb) | solicit (sb) (for sth) ( formal ) to ask sb for sth, such as support, money, or information; to try to get sth or persuade sb to do sth :
[ vn ]
They were planning to solicit funds from a number of organizations.
Historians and critics are solicited for their opinions.
[ v ]
to solicit for money
[also vn to inf ]
2.
( of a prostitute ) to offer to have sex with people in return for money :
[ v ]
Prostitutes solicited openly in the streets.
the crime of soliciting
[also vn ]
► so·lici·ta·tion / səˌlɪsɪˈtəɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ U , C ] ( especially NAmE ):
the solicitation of money for election funds
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French solliciter , from Latin sollicitare agitate, from sollicitus anxious, from sollus entire + citus (past participle of ciere set in motion).