a written request signed by a lot of people, asking someone in authority to do something or change something

请愿（书）:

a petition against the new road

反对修建新路的请愿

They wanted me to sign a petition against experiments on animals.

他们想让我在一份反对用动物做实验的请愿书上签名。

Local residents have drawn up a petition to protest the hospital closure.

当地居民已草拟了一份请愿书，抗议关闭医院。

[law] an official letter to a law court, asking for a legal case to be considered

诉状:

She is threatening to file a petition for divorce.

她在威胁说要提出离婚诉讼。

[formal] a formal prayer or request to someone in authority or to God

正式请求; 祈求; 祈祷

to ask the government or an organization to do something by sending them a petition

〔向政府或组织〕请愿，请求:

Villagers petitioned the local authority to provide better bus services.

村民请愿要求地方当局提供更好的公共汽车服务。

Residents are petitioning against the new road.

居民们正在请愿，反对修建那条新道路。

law or [formal] to make a formal request to someone in authority, to a court of law, or to God

〔向当权者、法庭或上帝〕正式请求，祈求:

More and more couples are petitioning for divorce .

申请离婚的夫妻越来越多。