pĕtītĭo, ōnis, f. [peto].
I Lit., an attack , a blow , thrust , pass : tuas petiti ones effugi, Cic. Cat. 1, 6, 15; cf.: petitiones proprie dicimus impetus gladiorum, Serv. Verg. A. 9, 439.—
B Trop., an attack made in words before a court of justice, Cic. Or. 68, 228; or in debate, id. Cat. 1, 6, 15; cf.: novi omnis hominis petitiones rationesque dicendi, methods of attack , Cic. Div. in Caecil. 14, 44; id. de Or. 3, 54, 206.—
II In gen., a requesting , beseeching; a request , petition for any thing (postAug.), Plin. 29, 4, 19, § 66: huic quoque petitioni tuae negare non sustineo, Traj. ap. Plin. Ep. 10, 7 (23); Gell. 11, 16, 8 al.—
2 Esp. (eccl. Lat.), a request offered to God, a prayer : impleat Dominus omnes petitiones tuas, Vulg. Psa. 19, 6; id. Phil. 4, 6; id. 1 Johan. 5, 15: petitionem offerre Domino Deo, Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 16, 1, 4.—
B In partic.
1 An applying or soliciting for office , an application , solicitation , candidacy , Cic. Att. 1, 1, 1: petitioni se dari, to become a candidate for office , id. Fam. 13, 10, 2: consulatus, Caes. B. C. 1, 22: pontificatūs, Sall. C. 49, 2: regni, Just. 1, 10, 17: tribunatūs et aedilitatis, Val. Max. 6, 9, 14: dare alicui petitionem consulatūs, to admit one as a candidate for the consulship , Suet. Caes. 26: abstinere petitione honorum, Tac. A. 2, 43; Suet. Caes. 28: petitioni se dare, to solicit an office , Cic. Fam. 13, 10.—
2 A laying claim to any thing, a suit , petition , in private or civil cases (opp. the accusatio, in criminal cases): petitio pecuniae, Quint. 4, 4, 6: hereditatis, Dig. 44, 5, 3: integram petitionem relinquere, Cic. Rosc. Com. 18, 56.—
3 A right of claim , a right to bring an action of recovery : cavere, neminem, cujus petitio sit, petiturum, Cic. Brut. 5, 18; Dig. 2, 14, 56.