Lexical Definition

‎δέησις‎ déēsis (deh'-ay-sis) petition ^G:N-F
from ‎δέομαι‎

prayer, request, supplication.

• a petition

Abbott-Smith

δέησις, -εως, ἡ (< δέομαι), [in LXX for תְּחִנָּה, רִנָּה, תְּפִלָּה, etc. ;]

1. a wanting, need (so Ps 21(22):25*).
2. an asking, entreaty, supplica­tion; in NT always addressed to God: Lk 1:13, II Co 1:11, Phl 1:19, II Ti 1:3, Ja 5:16, I Pe 3:12 (LXX); with νηστεῖαι, Lk 2:37; προσυνχή, -αί, Eph 6:18, Phl 4:6, I Ti 2:1 5:5; ἱκετηρίαι, He 5:7; προσκαρτέρησις, Eph 6:18; ἐντεύξεις, I Ti 2:1; δ. ποιεῖσθαι (Deiss., BS, 250), Lk 5:33, Phl 1:4 (pl.), I Ti 2:1; seq. ὑπέρ, II Co 9:14, Phl 1:4; περί, Eph 6:18; πρός, Ro 10:1.†
SYN.: προσευχή, used of prayer in general, while δ. gives prominence to the sense of need; on the other hand, δ. is used as well of requests from man to man, while π. is limited to prayer to God. ἔντευξις, in the papyri, is the regular word for petition to a superior (Deiss., BS, 250; cf. the Pauline ἐντυγχάνειν, to entreat). Cf. also εὐχή. (Ja 5:15), αἴτημα, ἱκετηρία (Tr., Syn., § li; Cremer, 73, 174, 684).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

δέησις-ησις, εως, ἡ,

entreaty, [δέησιςομαι δ᾽ ὑμῶν.. δικαίαν δέησιςησιν 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 29.4; δεήσεις ποιεῖσθαι NT.Luke.5.33, cf. Wilcken “Chr.” 41 ii 12 (3rd c.AD). ">NT+5th c.BC+]

__2 written petition, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__II want, need, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ τὰς δεήσεις according to their needs, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Luke.5.33}