supplication 🔊
Meaning of supplication
The act of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly, often in a religious or solemn context.
Key Difference
Supplication specifically conveys a tone of humility, earnestness, and sometimes desperation, often directed toward a higher power or authority. Unlike general requests, it implies deep reverence or need.
Example of supplication
- The villagers gathered in the temple, their supplication for rain echoing through the sacred halls.
- In his final letter, the prisoner wrote a supplication to the king, pleading for mercy.
Synonyms
prayer 🔊
Meaning of prayer
A solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to a deity or other object of worship.
Key Difference
While 'prayer' is often religious and can include gratitude, 'supplication' is more focused on pleading for a specific need.
Example of prayer
- She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer for her sick child.
- The monks began their morning prayers at dawn.
entreaty 🔊
Meaning of entreaty
A serious or earnest request, often emotional but not necessarily religious.
Key Difference
An entreaty lacks the humility or reverence often tied to supplication; it can be directed at anyone, not just a divine entity.
Example of entreaty
- With tears in her eyes, she made an entreaty to the judge for leniency.
- His entreaty to his boss for a promotion went unanswered.
plea 🔊
Meaning of plea
A desperate or urgent request, often in a legal or emotional context.
Key Difference
A plea can be more urgent and less humble than a supplication, sometimes implying a demand rather than a humble request.
Example of plea
- The defendant’s plea for innocence moved the jury.
- She ignored his plea to stay and walked away.
petition 🔊
Meaning of petition
A formal written request, often signed by many people, appealing to authority for a cause.
Key Difference
A petition is structured and collective, while supplication is personal and often verbal.
Example of petition
- Activists submitted a petition to the government demanding climate action.
- Over 10,000 people signed the online petition for better healthcare.
appeal 🔊
Meaning of appeal
A serious or urgent request, often public or legal.
Key Difference
An appeal is broader and can be logical or emotional, whereas supplication is inherently humble and imploring.
Example of appeal
- The charity launched an appeal for donations after the earthquake.
- His appeal to common sense convinced many listeners.
beseeching 🔊
Meaning of beseeching
Asking someone urgently and fervently to do something.
Key Difference
Beseeching is more emotionally charged and less formal than supplication, often directed at individuals rather than deities.
Example of beseeching
- He fell to his knees, beseeching her forgiveness.
- The crowd’s beseeching cries for justice grew louder.
imploration 🔊
Meaning of imploration
The act of begging someone desperately.
Key Difference
Imploration is more intense and less structured than supplication, often lacking the latter’s reverential tone.
Example of imploration
- Her imploration for him to stay went unheard.
- The child’s imploration for candy made his mother sigh.
adjuration 🔊
Meaning of adjuration
A solemn urging or advising, sometimes under oath.
Key Difference
Adjuration involves a formal charge or command, unlike the humble nature of supplication.
Example of adjuration
- The witness gave an adjuration to tell the truth in court.
- His adjuration to the soldiers was to hold the line at all costs.
invocation 🔊
Meaning of invocation
The act of calling upon a deity or spirit for aid or inspiration.
Key Difference
Invocation is more about summoning or inviting divine presence, while supplication is about making a request.
Example of invocation
- The priest began the ceremony with an invocation to the gods.
- Poets sometimes use invocations to the Muse for creativity.
Conclusion
- Supplication is best used when expressing a humble, earnest request, often in a religious or deeply emotional context.
- Prayer can replace supplication in religious settings but includes broader expressions like gratitude.
- Entreaty works for emotional requests but lacks the humility of supplication.
- Plea is fitting in urgent or legal contexts where desperation is key.
- Petition is ideal for formal, collective appeals to authority.
- Appeal suits broader, public requests, whether logical or emotional.
- Beseeching is more personal and fervent, directed at individuals.
- Imploration is raw and desperate, without the solemnity of supplication.
- Adjuration involves formal urging, not humble begging.
- Invocation is about summoning divine aid, not requesting it.