As a verb, it means to ask for something firmly and insistently. As a noun, it means the desire or need for something, especially in markets, or a strong request that must be met.
From Old French *demander* meaning 'to ask, to claim', from Latin *demandare* ('to entrust, to commit'), from *de-* ('completely') and *mandare* ('to order, to command'). The sense shifted from 'entrust a matter' to 'insist on a claim'.
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