Forms: 3–5 apel, 4 apeel, 4–6 apele, 5 appelle, 5–6 appel(e, 6 apell, 6–7 appeale, 7 appeill, 6– appeal. Aphet. 4–5 pele. [a. OFr. apel (mod. appel), f. apeler: see APPEAL v.]
† 1. A calling to account before a legal tribunal; in Law: A criminal charge or accusation, made by one who undertook under penalty to prove it; spec. a. Impeachment of treason or felony. b. ‘The accusation of a felon, at common law, by one of his accomplices, which accomplice was then called an approver.’ c. ‘An accusation by a private subject against another for some heinous crime, demanding punishment on account of the particular injury suffered, rather than for the offence against the public’ (Blackstone). Formerly a regular mode of criminal procedure. (All Obs. exc. Hist.)
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 300. Þere þat partye pursueth · þe pele [1393 apeel, appel] is so huge, Þat þe kynge may do no mercy.
1471. Sir J. Paston, Lett., 676, III. 18. Iff they be [maryed], than the appelys wer abbatyd there by.
1528. Perkins, Profit. Bk., iii. § 202 (1642), 91. The heire who is partie unto the death of his father shall not have an appeale thereof.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., IV. i. 79. Aumerle is guiltie of my true Appeale.
1691. Blount, Law Dict., s.v., Cognizance of Criminal Causes, is taken either … upon Indictment or Appeal … Accusation or Appeal is a lawful Declaration of another Mans crime (which, by Bracton, must be Felony at least) before a competent Judge, by one that sets his name to the Declaration, and undertakes to prove it, upon the penalty that may ensue of the contrary.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v., It does not appear that the appeal of treason is taken away by this statute (1 Hen. 4. c. 14) or any other.
1863. Cox, Inst. Eng. Govt., II. v. 456. At the time when Blackstone wrote … private subjects might prosecute others for heinous crimes by ‘Appeal of felony.’
† 2. A call to any one to defend his innocence or honor by arms; a challenge. Obs. exc. Hist.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lii. 858. They … founden kyng Marahans anon In the court to-forn kyng lucye, his apel there forto complye.
1598. Florio, Appellagione, an appeale, a challenge.
1690. Dryden, Don Sebastian, IV. 106 (J.).
| Nor shall the Sacred Character of King | |
| Be urg’d, to shield me from thy bold appeal. |
3. The transference of a case from an inferior to a higher court or tribunal, in the hope of reversing or modifying the decision of the former; techn. the application for such transference, or the transferred case. Court of Appeal: a court occupied in rehearing cases previously tried in inferior courts.
1297. R. Glouc., 473. To the bissop fram ercedekne [h]is apel [he] solde make.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 192. Fro thy wrath … To thy pite stant min appele.
1561. T. N[orton], Calvin’s Inst., IV. 22. The Synodes, from whom there might be no appelle but to a Generall Counsel.
1642. Howell, For. Trav. (Arb.), 85. Appeales in som cases may be made to the Mufiti who is their chiefest Bishop.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, IV. liv. 161. The decision was that the appeal must be dismissed.
1883. Trevelyan, in Times, 27 Aug., 6/3. The principles laid down by the Court of Appeal.
1883. [See APPEALABLE 1].
b. transf. as ‘an appeal to the country.’
1799. Coleridge, Own Times, I. 180. By this appeal to the universal suffrage, the sovereignty of the people is admitted.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., i. (1862), 16. An appeal to the people by a dissolution is the resource of the Constitution.
4. The call to a recognized authority for sanction, or decision in one’s favor, or to a witness for corroborative testimony. Cf. APPEAL v. 6, 7.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 720 (J.). As for the Casting vp of the Eyes, and Lifting vp of the Hands, it is a Kinde of Appeale to the Deity.
1782. Priestley, Matt. & Spirit, I. xi. 132. In all metaphysical subjects, there is a perpetual appeal made to consciousness.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. vii. 144. They saw no hope but in an appeal to arms.
1882. Daily Tel., 24 June, 2/7 (cricket). In Ramsay’s ensuing over an appeal for a catch at the wicket was given in favour of Giffen, the batsman in question.
5. A call for help of any kind, or for a favor; an earnest request; an entreaty.
1859. Tennyson, Vivien, 231. She lifted up A face of sad appeal.
1879. J. A. H. Murray (title), An Appeal to the English-speaking and English-reading public to read books and make extracts for the Philological Society’s New English Dictionary.
1882. Payn, For Cash, III. 4. An appeal to his nephew for forgiveness.
1883. T. F. Brady, in Times, 27 Aug., 5/2. For contributions received in answer to my last appeal in your columns see advertisement.
6. Language specially addressed to, or adapted to exert influence upon, some particular principle of conduct, mental faculty, or class of persons.
1833. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc., II. 472. The appeal to humane and Christian feeling.
1853. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, III. xiv. 254. Slavery … must not be treated by appeals to the passions.
1876. J. Parker, Paracl., I. ii. 17. To the intellectual man, the Christian appeal is this: ‘You have a spiritual consciousness.’
† 7. A summons by bell-ringing, a PEAL. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., A-peele of belle ryngynge [1499 apele of bellis].
