solicit

/səˈlɪsɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /səˈlɪsɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /sə-ˈli-sət/ (ame, mw)

solicit — verb

  • solicitpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • solicitshe / she / it
  • solicitedpast simple
  • soliciting-ing form

1. to approach an individual, company, or group with a request for something you ne

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to approach an individual, company, or group with a request for something you need, such as donations for a charity, information for a project, or support for a cause.

例句

The charity worker e-mailed local businesses to solicit donations for homeless families.

solicit + donations (charity/fundraising context)

We are soliciting feedback from our customers through an online survey this month.

solicit + feedback from [group]

同義詞
  • request

    neutral and common; works in formal and informal settings

  • petition

    more specific, often involves signing documents or addressing an authority

  • seek

    broader meaning; can be used for any goal, not just asking people

  • appeal to

    more emotional register; suggests urgency or moral weight

反義詞
  • donate

    the act of giving rather than asking

  • offer

    the reverse direction — presenting something instead of requesting it

文法句型

solicit + noun (person/organization) + for + noun

solicit + noun (thing)

solicit for + noun (intransitive)

用法筆記

Frequently used in formal writing about business, charity, and official requests. In everyday spoken English, 'ask for' is far more common. Using 'solicit' in casual conversation may sound overly formal or even suspicious, because the word also carries a sexual meaning (see sense 2).

常見錯誤

❌I solicited my teacher for help with the homework.
✅I asked my teacher for help with the homework.
💡'Solicit' is too formal and legal-sounding for everyday requests between people who know each other.

2. to offer sexual services to someone in exchange for payment — an act that is aga

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to offer sexual services to someone in exchange for payment — an act that is against the law in many places and typically happens on streets or in other public locations.

例句

Police arrested a woman on the high street for soliciting an undercover officer.

charged with + soliciting (legal context)

The court found the hotel guest guilty of soliciting a prostitute in his room.

found guilty of + soliciting (legal verdict)

同義詞
  • tout (for sex)

    British slang for offering sex on the street, less formal than 'solicit'

  • proposition

    to make a sexual offer, not necessarily for money; broader than 'solicit'

文法句型

solicit + noun (person)

solicit (no object)

charged with + soliciting

用法筆記

Carries a strong legal and criminal connotation in this sense. In many English-speaking places, the word 'solicit' when used alone (without context clues like 'donations' or 'bids') is often understood to mean offering sex for money. Non-native speakers should be careful: using 'solicit' in an everyday situation could be misinterpreted.

常見錯誤

❌She stood at the church gate soliciting donations.' (if spoken aloud without context)
✅She stood at the church gate asking for donations.
💡In British and American English, 'soliciting' alone can be misunderstood as offering sex for money, even when the speaker means charity.

3. to encourage, persuade, or command someone to do something illegal or harmful, e

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to encourage, persuade, or command someone to do something illegal or harmful, especially to commit a crime such as theft, fraud, or perjury.

例句

A security guard solicited the teenager to steal keys from the manager's office.

solicit + person + to-infinitive

The businessman was found guilty of soliciting his partner to lie during the court hearing.

found guilty of + soliciting + person + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • incite

    stronger emotional charge; implies stirring up anger or violence

  • induce

    broader; can be used in neutral or positive contexts unlike 'solicit'

  • procure

    formal/legal term for obtaining something, often through improper means

反義詞
  • dissuade

    to persuade someone NOT to do something

  • discourage

    to make someone less likely to act

文法句型

solicit + noun (person) + to-infinitive

solicit + noun (person) + to + verb (crime)

用法筆記

A technical term in criminal law. The act of soliciting someone to commit a crime is itself a criminal offence in many jurisdictions, separate from the planned crime. Note that the person being solicited does not have to actually go through with the crime for the solicitor to be charged.

常見錯誤

❌He solicited his friend to come to the party.
✅He invited his friend to the party.
💡'Solicit' implies persuading someone to do something illegal or wrong, not a friendly social invitation.
❌The manager solicited the team to work harder.
✅The manager encouraged the team to work harder.
💡Use 'encourage' or 'urge' for positive requests; 'solicit' in this pattern implies illegality or wrongdoing.