solicit

Solicit is a verb with several related senses centered on requesting, seeking, or inviting something from someone. In everyday use, to solicit means to ask for or try to obtain something by appeal or persuasion, such as soliciting a donation, soliciting a client, or soliciting feedback. It can also describe the act of inviting or urging someone to commit or participate in an action, such as soliciting bids or votes.

Etymology and forms: solicit derives from Latin solicitare, meaning to move or excite. The related noun is solicitation. In British usage, the noun solicitor refers to a lawyer who provides legal services, a sense historically linked to the act of soliciting legal work. The term is employed across business, nonprofit, political, and legal contexts with varying connotations depending on the activity described.

Legal usage: in law, solicitation can be neutral or criminal. Criminal solicitation occurs when one person invites, requests, or encourages another to commit a crime, even if the crime is not carried out. Many jurisdictions treat solicitation of a crime as an offense in itself. Noncriminal uses include charitable solicitation (seeking donations), commercial solicitation (inviting business or bids), and political solicitation (requesting votes or support). The acceptability and legality of solicitation depend on the context, method, and local regulations, such as rules governing fundraising, regulated advertising, or anti-solicitation statutes.

Usage notes: solicit is typically transitive, requiring a direct object (to solicit something or someone). Common collocations include solicit donations, solicit bids, solicit feedback, and solicit endorsements. The term conveys a proactive, sometimes formal, approach to requesting and can carry neutral, positive, or negative implications based on the subject and legal framework involved.