Made a formal written request to someone in power, usually signed by many people; also asked someone earnestly for something.
From Old French 'petition' and Latin 'petitio' (a request, from petere meaning to seek). The formal sense developed in medieval times when people needed to formally request things from kings and church officials.
When the U.S. Constitution guarantees 'the right to petition,' it's giving citizens power because petitions have literally changed history—from ending slavery to creating national holidays—proving that organized asking can be as powerful as voting.
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