appeal

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /əˈpiːl/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ʌˈpi.əl/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Hyphenation: ap‧peal

Noun

Singular appeal

Plural appeals

1. (countable) An appeal is a strong or official request.

   In an emotional appeal, Sevan asked the two groups to stop the fighting.

   But as the problems in Iraq deepen, America may appeal directly to Iran for help.

   The school launched an appeal to raise money for the new library.

2. (countable & uncountable) An appeal is a request for an earlier decision to be changed, especially in law.

   Her application was refused, her appeal was rejected, and when she failed to leave, she was arrested.

   That decision was overturned on appeal.

   His conviction is under appeal.

3. (uncountable) If something has appeal, people have good feelings about it, like it, or want it.

   It was a type of game that had universal appeal to male and female.

   That is part of the appeal of the ride, the sense of danger.

   Beatty is still fabulous at 55, but will marriage dim his sex appeal?

   Spike Lee is loved by the critics, but has never had huge audience appeal.

Synonyms

• request

Verb

Plain form appeal

Third-person singular appeals

Past tense appealed

Past participle appealed

Present participle appealing

1. (intransitive) If you appeal for something, you ask for it, often strongly or officially.

   The people appealed for help as huge fires advanced towards their homes.

2. (transitive & intransitive) If you appeal a decision, you ask for it to be changed, especially in law.

   The defense notified the State Supreme Court that it would appeal the conviction.

3. (intransitive) If you something appeals to you, you have good feelings about it, like it, or want it.

   Adventure, money, sex, and violence appeal to large numbers of people.

   You've got a product that you think will appeal to an audience that's under 21 years old,

Synonyms

• ask
• request

Related words

• appealing