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evoking or attracting interest, desire, curiosity, sympathy, or the like; attractive.
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

Enlisting seemed an appealing solution to his new financial straits and lost focus.
A Literary Tribute Roxanne Coady September 9, 2011

And Frank is arguably one of the best coaches in the world, so that was appealing and he was able to take me on, which was great.
Figure Skater Gracie Gold Is America’s Darling in Sochi Kevin Fixler February 18, 2014

In fact, one of the appealing things about Cain the campaigner is that he seems to be having fun.
‘Tired’ Cain Campaign Slows Down Howard Kurtz October 27, 2011

And in the short run, appealing to anti-immigrant sentiments may pay off in the Republican primary.
Rick Santorum’s Ugly Appeal to Rural Voters Joel Kotkin March 15, 2012

There can be no question that Russia was—for the soccer fan—the least appealing candidate for 2018.
Revolutionary World Cups Tunku Varadarajan December 1, 2010

Historical Examples

“No one knows I am here,” Ruth said in a faint voice, with an appealing smile.
Martin Eden Jack London

Wanhope had the effect of appealing to Minver, but the painter would not relent.
Questionable Shapes William Dean Howells

He took the dish and emptied it all into his, but glancing up I caught the appealing look of the boy opposite.
Broke Edwin A. Brown

It was answered by a slim, appealing girl of perhaps twenty-two.
Spawn of the Comet Harold Thompson Rich

Agnes lifted her eyes to his with an innocent wondering trouble and an appealing confidence that for a moment wholly unnerved him.
Agnes of Sorrento Harriet Beecher Stowe

adjective
attractive or pleasing
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

mid-15c. as a noun, “action of petitioning a higher court or authority,” verbal noun from appeal (v.). Adjectival sense of “attractive” attested by 1892. Related: Appealingly.
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.