appeal

Meanings

Noun

• A call to a person or an authority for a decision, help, or proof; an entreaty, an invocation.
• A resort to some physical means; a recourse.
• A power to attract or interest.
• A call to, or the use of, a principle or quality for purposes of persuasion.
• A summons to defend one's honour in a duel, or one's innocence in a trial by combat; a challenge.

Verb

• To call upon a person or an authority to corroborate a statement, to decide a controverted question, or to vindicate one's rights; to entreat, to invoke.
• To call upon someone for a favour, help, etc.
• To have recourse or resort to some physical means.
• To be attractive.
• To summon (someone) to defend their honour in a duel, or their innocence in a trial by combat; to challenge.

Origin

• (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd) + pellō (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pelh₂-, from *pel-). appel.
• From Middle English apelen, appelen, from Old French apeler; see further at etymology 1.