suppliant
/'sʌpliənt/
Definition
Adjective:
- Humbly entreating or beseeching: Describes someone who is earnestly and respectfully asking for something, often from a position of need or inferiority.
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.
Adjective
- humbly entreating
- a suppliant sinner seeking forgiveness
Noun
- one praying humbly for something
- a suppliant for her favors
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