To ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something. To make an urgent or emotional appeal or request.
From Old French entraiter meaning 'to treat' or 'to deal with,' from en- (in) plus traiter (to treat). The sense evolved from 'to negotiate with' to 'to plead with,' emphasizing the emotional intensity of the request.
The shift from 'entreat' meaning 'to negotiate' to 'to plead' shows how power dynamics shape language. When negotiation became pleading, it reflected the speaker's weaker position - turning business discussion into emotional appeal.
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