• vt. 征求；招揽；请求；乞求
• vi. 征求；招揽；恳求；请求

来自拉丁语 sollicitare,打扰，麻烦，刺激，煽动，来自 sollus,整个的，全部的，词源同 solid,-cit, 召唤，使兴奋，词源同 cite,excite.后引申词义请求，恳求，以及俚语词义招嫖，拉客等。

solicit

solicit: [15] The ultimate source of solicit is Latin sollicitus ‘agitated’, which also gave English solicitous [16]. It was a compound adjective, formed from sollus ‘whole’ (source also of English solemn) and citus, the past participle of ciēre ‘move’ (source of English cite, excite, etc) – hence literally ‘completely moved’.

From it was formed the verb sollicitāre ‘disturb, agitate’, which passed into English via Old French solliciter. By the time it arrived it had acquired the additional meaning ‘manage affairs’, which lies behind the derived solicitor [15]; and the original ‘disturb’ (which has since died out) gave rise in the 16th century to ‘trouble with requests’. French insouciant, borrowed by English in the 19th century, goes back ultimately to Latin sollicitāre.
=> cite, excite, incite, insouciant, solemn, solid

solicit (v.)

early 15c., "to disturb, trouble," from Middle French soliciter (14c.), from Latin sollicitare "to disturb, rouse, trouble, harass; stimulate, provoke," from sollicitus "agitated," from sollus "whole, entire" + citus "aroused," past participle of ciere "shake, excite, set in motion" (see cite). Related: Solicited; soliciting.

Meaning "entreat, petition" is from 1520s. Meaning "to further (business affairs)" evolved mid-15c. from Middle French sense of "manage affairs." The sexual sense (often in reference to prostitutes) is attested from 1710, probably from a merger of the business sense and an earlier sense of "to court or beg the favor of" (a woman), attested from 1590s.

1. Prostitutes were forbidden to solicit on public roads and in public places.

禁止妓女在马路上和公共场所公然拉客。

来自柯林斯例句

2. They were planning to solicit funds from a number of organizations.

他们正计划向一些机构募集资金。

来自《权威词典》

3. May I solicit your advice on a matter of some importance?

我有一件要事可以请教你吗?

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. Solicit a continuance of customer's patronage.

敬请顾客继续惠顾.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5. It is illegal for public officials to solicit gifts or money in exchange for favors.

公务员通过索要礼物或钱财作为为他人提供便利的交换是违法的。

来自柯林斯例句