Demand

DEMAND, verb transitive [Latin To command; to send; hence, to commit or entrust. To ask is to press or urge.]

1. To ask or call for, as one who has a claim or right to receive what is sought; to claim or seek as due by right. The creditor demands principal and interest of his debt. Here the claim is derived from law or justice.

2. To ask by authority; to require; to seek or claim an answer by virtue of a right or supposed right in the interrogator, derived from his office, station, power or authority.

The officers of the children of Israel-were beaten, and demanded, wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick. Exodus 5:14.

3. To require as necessary or useful; as, the execution of this work demands great industry and care.

4. To ask; to question; to inquire.

The soldiers also demanded of him, saying, what shall we do? Luke 3:14.

5. To ask or require, as a seller of goods; as, what price do you demand?

6. To sue for; to seek to obtain by legal process; as, the plaintiff, in his action, demands unreasonable damages.

In French, demander generally signifies simply to ask, request, or petition, when the answer or thing asked for, is a matter of grace or courtesy. But in English, demand is now seldom used in that sense, and rarely indeed can the French demander be rendered correctly in English by demand except in the case of the seller of goods, who demands, [asks, requires, ] a certain price for his wares. The common expression, a king sent to demand another kings daughter in marriage, is improper.

DEMAND, noun An asking for or claim made by virtue of a right or supposed right to the thing sought; an asking with authority; a challenging as due; as, the demand of the creditor was reasonable; the note is payable on demand

He that has confidence to turn his wishes into demands, will be but a little way from thinking he ought to obtain them.

2. The asking or requiring of a price for goods offered for sale; as, I cannot agree to his demand

3. That which is or may be claimed as due; debt; as, what are your demands on the estate?

4. The calling for in order to purchase; desire to possess; as, the demand for the Bible has been great and extensive; copies are in great demand

5. A desire or a seeking to obtain. We say, the company of a gentleman is in great demand; the lady is in great demand or request.

6. In law, the asking or seeking for what is due or claimed as due, either expressly by words, or by implication, as by seizure of goods, or entry into lands.