efflagitation

Noun

efflagitation (countable and uncountable, plural efflagitations)

1. (obsolete, rare) An earnest request, an entreaty.
   • Some men knowing this to bee their prerogative, […] that their Wives are bound by Gods Law to submit to their manly spirits, and riper judgements, may perchance out of their earthlinesse, and intolerable worldly-mindednesse, […], take the advantage and unconscionablely stand off, and refuse to give...1635, Richard Bernard, “Chap. VI. That wives are to doe good workes”, in The Ready Way to Good Works, Or, A Treatise of Charitie, London, pages 75–76
   • Whence then proceeds this strong oppugnance to / My faire proposition, efflagitation?1657, G. G. D'Ouvilly, The False Favourite Disgrac'd, London, act III, scene 1, page 58
2. (obsolete, rare) A constant and insistent demanding, importunity.
   • This temper of solicitation, or more properly efflagitation, amongst his other qualifications, had greatly conduced to procure for him and his children some honourable and lucrative employments and reversions, […]1777, Patrick Duigenan, Lachrymae academicae : or, The present deplorable state of the College of the holy and undivided Trinity, of Queen Elizabeth, near Dublin, Dublin, page 16
   • A laborer's wife was visited fifteen times by people of importance who lived near her in order to induce her to bring over her husband to the Tory cause.[…] Canvassing like this is not the mere suggestion of arguments in favor of the cause represented by the canvasser; it is not even solicitation....1910 April 9, D. C. Pedder, “Intensive Electioneering”, in The Living Age, volume CCLXV, number 3431, Boston: The Living Age Company, page 100