1 N‑COUNT A petition is a document signed by a lot of people which asks a government or other official group to do a particular thing. □ We recently presented the government with a petition signed by 4,500 people.
2 N‑COUNT A petition is a formal request made to a court of law for some legal action to be taken. [LEGAL ] □ His lawyers filed a petition for all charges to be dropped.
3 VERB If you petition someone in authority, you make a formal request to them. [FORMAL , LEGAL ] □ [V + for ] …couples petitioning for divorce. □ [V n] All the attempts to petition the Congress had failed. □ [V to-inf] She's petitioning to regain custody of the child. [V n + for ]
pe|ti|tion|er /pət I ʃənə r / (petitioners )
1 N‑COUNT A petitioner is a person who presents or signs a petition.
2 N‑COUNT A petitioner is a person who brings a legal case to a court of law. [LEGAL ] □ The judge awarded the costs of the case to the petitioners.
pe t name (pet names ) N‑COUNT A pet name is a special name that you use for a close friend or a member of your family instead of using their real name.
pet|rel /pe trəl/ (petrels ) N‑COUNT A petrel is a type of sea bird which often flies a long way from land. There are many kinds of petrel.
Pet|ri dish /pe tr I d I ʃ / (Petri dishes ) N‑COUNT A Petri dish is a flat dish with a lid, used in laboratories for producing cultures of microorganisms.
pet|ri|fied /pe tr I fa I d/
1 ADJ [ADJ that] If you are petrified , you are extremely frightened, perhaps so frightened that you cannot think or move. □ [+ of ] I've always been petrified of being alone. □ [+ of ] Most people seem to be petrified of snakes.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A petrified plant or animal has died and has gradually turned into stone. □ …a block of petrified wood.
pet|ri|fy /pe tr I fa I / (petrifies , petrifying , petrified ) VERB If something petrifies you, it makes you feel very frightened. □ [V n] Prison petrifies me and I don't want to go there. ● pet|ri|fy|ing ADJ □ I found the climb absolutely petrifying.
pet|ro|chemi|cal /pe troʊke m I k ə l/ (petrochemicals ) also petro-chemical N‑COUNT [usu pl] Petrochemicals are chemicals that are obtained from petroleum or natural gas.
pet|ro|dol|lars /pe troʊdɒlə r z/ also petro-dollars N‑PLURAL Petrodollars are a unit of money used to calculate how much a country has earned by exporting petroleum or natural gas.
pet|rol ◆◇◇ /pe trəl/ N‑UNCOUNT Petrol is a liquid which is used as a fuel for motor vehicles. [BRIT ] in AM, use gas , gasoline
pe t|rol bomb (petrol bombs ) N‑COUNT A petrol bomb is a simple bomb consisting of a bottle full of petrol with a cloth in it that is lit just before the bottle is thrown. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use Molotov cocktail
pe|tro|leum /pətroʊ liəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Petroleum is oil which is found under the surface of the Earth or under the sea bed. Petrol and paraffin are obtained from petroleum.
pe|tro |leum jel|ly N‑UNCOUNT Petroleum jelly is a soft, clear substance obtained from oil or petroleum. It is put on the skin to protect or soften it, or put on surfaces to make them move against each other easily.
pe t|rol sta|tion (petrol stations ) N‑COUNT A petrol station is a garage by the side of the road where petrol is sold and put into vehicles. [BRIT ] in AM, use gas station
pe t|rol tank (petrol tanks ) N‑COUNT The petrol tank in a motor vehicle is the container for petrol. [BRIT ] in AM, use gas tank
pet|ti|coat /pe tikoʊt/ (petticoats ) N‑COUNT A petticoat is a piece of clothing like a thin skirt, which is worn under a skirt or dress. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
pet|ti|fog|ging /pe tifɒg I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] You can describe an action or situation as pettifogging when you think that unnecessary attention is being paid to unimportant, boring details. [OLD-FASHIONED , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …pettifogging bureaucratic interference.
pet|ting /pe tiŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Petting is when two people kiss and touch each other in a sexual way, but without having sexual intercourse.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [N n] A petting zoo or a petting farm is a place with animals which small children can safely stroke or play with.
pet|ty /pe ti/ (pettier , pettiest )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use petty to describe things such as problems, rules, or arguments which you think are unimportant or relate to unimportant things. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He was miserable all the time and rows would start over petty things. □ …endless rules and petty regulations.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone's behaviour as petty , you mean that they care too much about small, unimportant things and perhaps that they are unnecessarily unkind. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ I think that attitude is a bit petty. ● pet|ti|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Never had she met such spite and pettiness.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Petty is used of people or actions that are less important, serious, or great than others. □ …petty crime, such as handbag-snatching and minor break-ins.
pe t|ty bou r|geois → see petit bourgeois
pe t|ty bour|geoi|sie → see petit bourgeoisie
pe t|ty ca sh N‑UNCOUNT Petty cash is money that is kept in the office of a company, for making small payments in cash when necessary. [BUSINESS ]
pe t|ty of|fic|er (petty officers ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A petty officer is an officer of low rank in the navy.
petu|lance /pe tʃʊləns/ N‑UNCOUNT Petulance is unreasonable, childish bad temper over something unimportant. □ His petulance made her impatient.