solicitation
C1/C2Formal/Legal/Business
Definition
Meaning
The act of asking for something, especially money, business, or support, in a persistent and often formal or official way.
The persistent requesting, urging, or enticing of someone to do something, often something improper or illegal. Legally, it can refer to the crime of encouraging someone to commit a crime.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Most often used in formal, business, or legal contexts. Can have neutral, positive, or negative connotations depending on context (e.g., fundraising vs. prostitution). The related verb 'solicit' is more commonly used.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major difference in meaning. More frequent in American legal and business contexts.
Connotations
In both, the word can carry a negative connotation of unwanted or aggressive asking, especially in phrases like 'solicitation of a minor' (legal) or 'email solicitation' (spam).
Frequency
Slightly more common in AmE due to its prominent use in legal terminology (e.g., 'solicitation to murder') and commercial contexts (e.g., 'direct mail solicitation').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
solicitation of + NOUN (funds, donations, business)solicitation for + NOUN (charity, campaign)solicitation from + SOURCE (clients, the public)solicitation to + VERB (to commit a crime)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific; it is used in set phrases rather than idioms.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the active seeking of new business, clients, or investments, e.g., 'The new regulations restrict the cold-call solicitation of customers.'
Academic
Used in legal, business, and marketing studies to describe formal processes of requesting participation or funding.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. When used, it often implies annoyance, e.g., 'I'm tired of the constant email solicitation from that company.'
Technical
A specific legal term for the act of encouraging or asking someone to commit a crime (criminal solicitation).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Charities are not permitted to solicit donations door-to-door without a licence.
- The barrister was accused of attempting to solicit false testimony.
American English
- The campaign is actively soliciting contributions from small donors.
- He was arrested for soliciting prostitution.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard derivation; 'solicitously' exists but is from 'solicitous'.
American English
- Not a standard derivation; 'solicitously' exists but is from 'solicitous'.
adjective
British English
- The solicitor was soliciting. (from verb)
- The soliciting firm was issued a warning.
American English
- The soliciting agent was overly persistent.
- They used soliciting calls to gather support.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The charity sent a letter of solicitation to all its past donors.
- Signs in the building say 'No solicitation' to stop salespeople.
- The new law tightens rules on the solicitation of funds from vulnerable elderly people.
- His job involves the solicitation of feedback from key clients.
- The actor was charged with criminal solicitation for allegedly encouraging an associate to destroy evidence.
- The startup's successful capital raise was preceded by months of meticulous solicitation of angel investors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SOLICITOR (a type of lawyer) who is making a formal, official REQUEST (citation). Solicitation is the noun for that formal requesting action.
Conceptual Metaphor
REQUESTING IS A FORCEFUL PULL (e.g., 'aggressive solicitation', 'drawn in by the solicitation').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как 'солиситация' (несуществующее слово).
- Часто соответствует русским 'ходатайство', 'прошение' (formal), 'запрашивание', 'склонение (к чему-либо)' (legal, negative).
- Не смешивать с 'solicitude' (заботливость).
Common Mistakes
- Mispronunciation: stressing the wrong syllable (e.g., /ˈsɒl.ɪ.sɪ/).
- Using it in overly casual contexts where 'request' or 'asking' would be more natural.
- Confusing it with 'solicitous' (adjective meaning showing care or concern).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'solicitation' most likely to have a negative connotation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it can be negative (e.g., 'solicitation of a bribe'), it is neutral in many formal/business contexts (e.g., 'solicitation of bids'). Context defines the connotation.
'Solicitation' is more formal, persistent, and often part of an official or commercial process. A 'request' is more general and can be casual or formal.
It's uncommon and sounds very formal. Native speakers would typically use 'request', 'asking', or 'fundraising' (etc.) depending on the specific situation.
The verb is 'to solicit'. Example: 'They solicit opinions from customers.'