Lewis & Short

pĕtītĭo, ōnis, f. [peto].

  1. 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.
    1. 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.
  2. 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.
      1. 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.
    1. B. In partic.
      1. 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. 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. 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.