English

Alternative forms

• intreaty (obsolete)

Noun

entreaty ‎(plural entreaties)

1. The act of entreating or beseeching; urgent prayer; earnest petition; pressing solicitation.

   We need to make an entreaty to stop the hostilities.

   • 1779, William Ward, An Essay on Grammar as it may be applied to the English Language, New Edition, page 202,

     In all commands or entreaties, the ſtate commanded, or entreated, muſt be contingent; i. e. capable of being, or not being, as the command or entreaty expreſſes it.

   • 1964 October, P. F. Strawson, Intention and Convention in Speech Acts, The Philosophical Review, Volume 73, Number 4, page 444,

     We can readily imagine circumstances in which an utterance of the words "Don't go" would be correctly described not as a request or an order, but as an entreaty.

   • 2002, N. P. Unni, Makers of Indian Literature: Amaruka, Sahitya Akademi, page 32,

     The entreaties of a lover and the rejection of the heroine lend charm to the stanza.

2. (archaic) A treatment; reception; entertainment.

Related terms

• entreat

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