noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˈtɹiːt/
Received-Pronunciation:/ɛn-/
Received-Pronunciation:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ɪnˈtɹit/
General-American:/ɛn-/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -iːt
1
noun
Meaning 1
Synonym of entreaty (“an act of asking earnestly or begging for something”); an appeal, a plea.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: entreaty
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
Senses relating to asking or pleading.
To ask earnestly or beg for (something, such as a benefit or favour).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: supplicate
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
Senses relating to asking or pleading.
To earnestly ask or beg (someone); to beseech, to implore.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
Senses relating to asking or pleading.
To try to influence or persuade (someone); to induce, to prevail upon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
Senses relating to asking or pleading.
Often followed by for: to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc.; to appeal, to plead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
Senses relating to asking or pleading.
To make a petition or request on behalf of someone; to intercede, to plead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
Senses relating to dealing with or negotiating.
To act towards or deal with (someone or something) in a specified manner; to handle, to treat.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
Senses relating to dealing with or negotiating.
To discuss or negotiate (something); also, to discuss or negotiate with (someone).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
Senses relating to dealing with or negotiating.
To occupy oneself with (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, reflexive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
Senses relating to dealing with or negotiating.
Sometimes followed by of or upon: to give an account or description of a matter; to deal with.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
Senses relating to dealing with or negotiating.
Often followed by about, for, or of: to discuss or negotiate, especially in order to reach a settlement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
ask for or request earnestly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The prophet bid all people to become good persons
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bid, beseech, adjure, press, conjure
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plead
History
Etymology
The verb is derived from Late Middle English entreten (“to deal with (someone) in a specified way; to concern oneself with (something); to deal with or give an account of (a topic); to engage in negotiation; to intercede for (someone); to plead with (someone)”), from Anglo-Norman entraiter, entretier (“to concern oneself with (something); to deal with (someone) in a specified manner; to have a conversation with (someone); to negotiate (with someone, or about something)”), Middle French entraiter, entraictier, and Old French entraictier (“to have a conversation with (someone); to concern oneself with (something)”), from en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + traiter (“to be concerned with (something); to treat (someone) in a specified way”) (from Latin tractāre, the present active infinitive of tractō (“to handle, manage; to drag, haul”), from trahō (“to drag, pull; etc.”) (see that entry for the further etymology) + -tō (frequentative suffix)). The noun is derived from Late Middle English entrete (“agreement; negotiation; treatment of a subject in discourse”), from the verb.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
اِلْتَمَسَ
(iltamasa)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Arabic:
تَوَسَّلَ
(tawassala)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Bulgarian:
умолявам
(umoljavam)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Czech:
snažně prosit
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Czech:
žádat
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Finnish:
anoa
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Finnish:
pyytää
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Hungarian:
esdekel
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Hungarian:
esedezik
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Hungarian:
eseng
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Hungarian:
kérlel
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Hungarian:
könyörög
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Irish:
achainigh
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Kazakh:
жалыну
(jalynu)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Latin:
obsecrō
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Māori:
whakakuene
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Polish:
apelować
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Polish:
zaapelować
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Russian:
умоля́ть
(umoljátʹ)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Sanskrit:
पृच्छति
(pṛcchati)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Spanish:
rogar
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Spanish:
suplicar
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Spanish:
impetrar
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Tamil:
கெஞ்சு
(keñcu)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Thai:
ร้องขอ
(róng kŏr)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Tocharian B:
kuk-
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
Ukrainian:
благати
(blahaty)
— (transitive) to ask earnestly or beg for (something); (intransitive) to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc. — see also beg, beseech, implore
