to ask for with proper authority; claim as a right: He demanded payment of the debt.
to ask for peremptorily or urgently: He demanded sanctuary. She demanded that we let her in.
to call for or require as just, proper, or necessary: This task demands patience. Justice demands objectivity.
Law.
to lay formal legal claim to.
to summon, as to court.
verb (used without object)
to make a demand; inquire; ask.
noun
the act of demanding.
something that is demanded.
an urgent or pressing requirement: demands upon one's time.
Economics.
the desire to purchase, coupled with the power to do so.
the quantity of goods that buyers will take at a particular price.
a requisition; a legal claim: The demands of the client could not be met.
the state of being wanted or sought for purchase or use: an article in great demand.
Archaic. inquiry; question.
Idioms for demand
on demand, upon presentation or request for payment: The fee is payable on demand.
Origin of demand
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English demaunden, from Anglo-French demaunder, from Medieval Latin dēmandāre “to demand,” Latin “to entrust,” equivalent to dē- negative prefix + mandāre “to commission, order”; see de-, mandate
SYNONYMS FOR demand
3 exact.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR demand ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for demand
3. Demand,claim,require imply making an authoritative request. To demand is to ask in a bold, authoritative way: to demand an explanation. To claim is to assert a right to something: He claimed it as his due. To require is to ask for something as being necessary; to compel: The Army requires absolute obedience of its soldiers.