suppliant

/'sʌpliənt/

Thân thiện

A suppliant kneels with hands clasped before a seated figure.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Humbly entreating or beseeching: Describes someone who is earnestly and respectfully asking for something, often from a position of need or inferiority.

2. Noun:

   • One who prays or asks humbly for something: A person who makes a humble and earnest request or plea.

Usage

• Adjective: Used to describe the manner or attitude of someone making a request. It conveys a sense of humility, deference, and earnest need.
• Noun: Used to refer to the person who is making the humble request or entreaty.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • She gave him a suppliant look, hoping he would change his mind.
  • The refugees approached the border with suppliant gestures.
• Noun:
  • The king listened to the pleas of every suppliant who came to the court.
  • He was a suppliant for her forgiveness after his mistake.

Advanced Usage

• In a formal or literary context: The word is often used in formal, religious, or literary contexts to describe a posture of humble petition.
  • The poet writes as a suppliant before the muse, begging for inspiration.
• As a modifier: Can be used to modify nouns like "gesture," "tone," "voice," or "eyes" to indicate a pleading quality.
  • He spoke in a low, suppliant voice.

Variants and Related Words

• Supplicant (noun/adjective): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "suppliant."
• Supplication (noun): The act of humbly asking or praying for something.
  • Their supplication was heard by the council.
• Supplicate (verb): To ask or beg for something earnestly and humbly.
  • They gathered to supplicate for peace.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Begging, imploring, pleading, entreating, beseeching.
• Noun: Petitioner, pleader, beseecher, applicant, suitor (in some contexts).

Antonyms

• Adjective: Demanding, commanding, imperious.
• Noun: Commander, authority, granter.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To come as a suppliant: To approach someone in a humble, begging manner.
  • He came to her not as a rival, but as a suppliant.
• Suppliant posture/attitude: A physical or mental stance of humble entreaty.
  • He knelt in a suppliant posture before the altar.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. humbly entreating
   • a suppliant sinner seeking forgiveness

Noun

1. one praying humbly for something
   • a suppliant for her favors

Từ đồng nghĩa

• supplicant
• supplicatory
• petitioner
• requester