solicit

Etymology

From Middle English soliciten, solliciten, from Old French soliciter, solliciter, from the present active participle of Latin sollicitō (“stir, disturb; look after”), from sollicitus (“agitated, anxious, punctilious”, literally “thoroughly moved”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + perfect passive participle of cieō (“shake, excite, cite, to put in motion”).

verb

1. To persistently endeavor to obtain an object, or bring about an event.
   to solicit alms, or a favour
   Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me?
2. To woo; to court.
   American railroads are not permitted to operate long-haul road routes, but the I.C.C. decision of 1954 did permit them to solicit trailer business in, say, New York for Chicago provided the trailer was piggybacked in between. 1960 November, David Morgan, “"Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 683
3. To persuade or incite one to commit some act, especially illegal or sexual behavior.
   Sounds and some tangible qualities fail not to solicit their proper senses, and force an entrance to the mind. , Book II, Chapter 1
   If you want to lose your virginity, you should try to solicit some fine looking women.
4. To offer to perform sexual activity, especially when for a payment.
   My girlfriend tried to solicit me for sex, but I was tired.
5. To make a petition.
6. (archaic) To disturb or trouble; to harass.
7. To urge the claims of; to plead; to act as solicitor for or with reference to.
   Should / My brother henceforth study to forget / The vow that he hath made thee, I would ever / Solicit thy deserts. 1628, John Ford, The Lover's Melancholy
8. (obsolete, rare) To disturb; to disquiet.
   1611-1615, George Chapman, Iliad, Book XVI Hath any ill solicited thine ears?

noun

1. (archaic) solicitation