petition2 verb [intransitiveI, transitiveT] 1 ASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO somethingto ask the government or an organization to do something by sending them a petition 〔向政府或组织〕请愿,请求petition somebody to do something Villagers petitioned the local authority to provide better bus services. 村民请愿要求地方当局提供更好的公共汽车服务。
petition against/for Residents are petitioning against the new road. 居民们正在请愿抗议修建那条新路。
2 law or formalSCLASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something to make a formal request to someone in authority, to a court of law, or to God 〔向当权者、法庭或上帝〕正式请求;祈求;祈祷petition for More and more couples are petitioning for divorce. 申请离婚的夫妻越来越多。
petitioning for divorce• The court refused to accept that by petitioning for divorce she had revoked her consent.
From Longman Business Dictionary
petitionpe·ti·tion /pəˈtɪʃən/ noun [countableC] LAW an official letter to a law court, asking for a legal case to be consideredHe will file the petition early next week.
→ bankruptcy petition