I. əˈpēl, -ēəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English appel, apel, from Old French apel, from apeler
1.
a. : a legal proceeding by which a case is brought from a lower to a higher court for rehearing — compare writ of error
b. : a request for such an appeal
c. : the right to such an appeal
d. : a case so appealed
2. : a formal accusation of a felony or heinous crime made against a person by another who demands punishment for the private injury rather than for the public offense
3. obsolete : a challenge to defend oneself (as by a duel) against a charge
4. : an application or reference (as to a recognized authority) for corroboration, vindication, or decision
an appeal to his superiors
an appeal to the umpire
an appeal to reason
5. : an earnest plea or request (as for help or support) : entreaty
appeals for current support from alumni — T.L.Hungate
6. : the power or property of arousing a sympathetic response : attraction
the great appeal of a freighter crossing is … its … informality — Richard Joseph
Synonyms: see prayer
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English appelen, apelen to appeal, accuse, from Middle French apeler, from Latin appellare to address, entreat, appeal to, accuse, summon, call by name, from appellere to drive to, from ad- + pellere to drive, strike — more at pulse
transitive verb
1. : to charge with a crime : accuse ; specifically : to institute a private criminal prosecution against for a felony or heinous crime
2. : to take proceedings for the removal of (a case) from a lower to a higher court for rehearing
3. archaic : challenge
man to man I will appeal the Norman to the lists — Sir Walter Scott
4. obsolete : to call to witness : invoke
intransitive verb
1. : to apply for the removal of a case from a lower to a higher court for rehearing
2. : to call upon or refer to another as a recognized authority for corroboration, vindication, or decision
to what sources of information do I appeal — B.N.Cardozo
Burke's teaching … appealed from the spoken to the unspoken rules of freedom — Michael Polanyi
3. : to plead seriously : make an earnest request
both contestants appealed for the ballots of the … electors — M.M.Quaife
appealed to the president for aid
4. : to have a particular interest or attraction : arouse a sympathetic response
the idea of a European federation has appealed to many statesmen — Vera M. Dean
educational questions … appeal to their sense of duty — J.B.Conant