# request

/ɹiˈkwɛst/ (US) · /ɹɪkwˈɛst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/request
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. the act of asking

noun · CEFR A2

the act of asking for something politely or formally.

For teachers: the act of expressing a desire for something to be granted or done. Often used with the preposition 'for' or followed by a 'that' clause.

- The manager granted her request for a few days off work.
- The department head reviewed the formal request for additional funding, noting that the budget was already stretched thin for the current quarter.

### 2. computing

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a message sent from one computer to another to ask for information.

For teachers: a digital signal or message sent over a network to a server to initiate an action or retrieve data.

- The website was slow because it received too many requests at once.
- The server failed to process the incoming HTTP request because the authentication token had expired during the transmission.

### 3. to ask for something

verb · CEFR B1 · Formal

to ask for something in a polite or official way.

For teachers: to express a desire for something; to ask a person or organisation to provide something or perform an action.

- You can request a copy of your medical records from the clinic.
- The ambassador requested an urgent meeting with the prime minister to discuss the deteriorating situation at the border.

Usage: This verb is transitive and takes a direct object.

## Examples

- The manager approved my request for a day off.
- The library received a formal request to extend its opening hours during the final exam period.
- Despite the diplomatic nature of the request, the embassy declined to provide the specific documents citing national security concerns.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.