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an earnest request for aid, support, sympathy, mercy, etc.; entreaty; petition; plea.
a request or reference to some person or authority for a decision, corroboration, judgment, etc.
Law.

an application or proceeding for review by a higher tribunal.
(in a legislative body or assembly) a formal question as to the correctness of a ruling by a presiding officer.
Obsolete. a formal charge or accusation.

the power or ability to attract, interest, amuse, or stimulate the mind or emotions:
The game has lost its appeal.
Obsolete. a summons or challenge.
to ask for aid, support, mercy, sympathy, or the like; make an earnest entreaty:
The college appealed to its alumni for funds.
Law. to apply for review of a case or particular issue to a higher tribunal.
to have need of or ask for proof, a decision, corroboration, etc.
to be especially attractive, pleasing, interesting, or enjoyable:
The red hat appeals to me.
Law.

to apply for review of (a case) to a higher tribunal.
Obsolete. to charge with a crime before a tribunal.

appeal to the country, British, (def 16).
Contemporary Examples

But until Sunday, his foreign policy had lacked “Jacksonian” appeal.
Bin Laden Killing Erases Democrats’ Wimp Factor Peter Beinart May 2, 2011

The Democrats are very smart in that they narrowed paths that appeal to voters.
The GOP’s House Hottie Meghan McCain March 30, 2009

If he simply decides to appeal, the case would go to an arbitration panel.
Lance Armstrong Rips Deal With Accusers in Doping Case as ‘Vendetta’ Howard Kurtz July 5, 2012

On Monday, Sarkozy singled out the burqa as a way to appeal to French conservatives.
Hands Off the Hijab Dana Goldstein June 22, 2009

Please recommend three books to your readers that inspired your writing and might appeal to readers who enjoy your writing.
Sheila Heti: How I Write Noah Charney June 18, 2013

Historical Examples

Only, somehow, in spite of himself, it was beginning to appeal to him.
The “Genius” Theodore Dreiser

I have no friend but you to whom I can appeal, to whom I dare complain.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) Samuel Richardson

Which might be a glorious sort of tomb, but it did not appeal to me.
Tenting To-night Mary Roberts Rinehart

Should it be ever so unhappily, will it be prudence to complain or appeal?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) Samuel Richardson

From this odious ruling an appeal was taken to the royal council; whereupon Palafox despatched three letters to the Pope.
The Jesuits, 1534-1921 Thomas J. Campbell

noun
a request for relief, aid, etc
the power to attract, please, stimulate, or interest: a dress with appeal
an application or resort to another person or authority, esp a higher one, as for a decision or confirmation of a decision
(law)

the judicial review by a superior court of the decision of a lower tribunal
a request for such review
the right to such review

(cricket) a verbal request to the umpire from one or more members of the fielding side to declare a batsman out
(English law) (formerly) a formal charge or accusation: appeal of felony
verb
(intransitive) to make an earnest request for relief, support, etc
(intransitive) to attract, please, stimulate, or interest
(law) to apply to a superior court to review (a case or particular issue decided by a lower tribunal)
(intransitive) to resort (to), as for a decision or confirmation of a decision
(intransitive) (cricket) to ask the umpire to declare a batsman out
(intransitive) to challenge the umpire’s or referee’s decision
v.

early 14c., originally in legal sense of “to call” to a higher judge or court, from Anglo-French apeler “to call upon, accuse,” Old French apeler “make an appeal” (11c., Modern French appeler), from Latin appellare “to accost, address, appeal to, summon, name,” iterative of appellere “to prepare,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + pellere “to beat, drive” (see pulse (n.1)). Related: Appealed; appealing.

Probably a Roman metaphoric extension of a nautical term for “driving a ship toward a particular landing.” Popular modern meaning “to be attractive or pleasing” is quite recent, attested from 1907 (appealing in this sense is from 1891), from the notion of “to address oneself in expectation of a sympathetic response.”
n.

c.1300, in the legal sense, from Old French apel (Modern French appel), back-formation from apeler (see appeal (v.)). Meaning “call to an authority” is from 1620s; that of “attractive power” attested by 1916.

a reference of any case from an inferior to a superior court. Moses established in the wilderness a series of judicatories such that appeals could be made from a lower to a higher (Ex. 18:13-26.) Under the Roman law the most remarkable case of appeal is that of Paul from the tribunal of Festus at Caesarea to that of the emperor at Rome (Acts 25:11, 12, 21, 25). Paul availed himself of the privilege of a Roman citizen in this matter.