de·mand (d?-m?nd?)v. de·mand·ed, de·mand·ing, de·mands v.tr.1. To ask for urgently or peremptorily: demand an investigation into the murder; demanding that he leave immediately; demanded to speak to the manager.2. To claim as just or due: demand repayment of a loan.3. To ask to be informed of: demanded an explanation for the interruption.4. To require as useful, just, proper, or necessary; call for: a gem that demands a fine setting.5. Law a. To lay legal claim to; claim formally.b. To ask that (something) be done in accordance with a legal requirement.v.intr. To make a demand.n.1. An act of demanding; an urgent request.2. Something demanded: on strike until they get their demands.3. An urgent requirement or need: the heavy demands of her job; the emotional demands of his marriage; an increased oxygen demand.4. The state of being sought after: in great demand as a speaker.5. Economics The desire for goods or services in an economy, measured as the amount people are ready to buy at a given price: Supply should rise to meet demand.6. Law a. A formal claim.b. A request that some act be done or payment made in accordance with a legal requirement.7. Archaic An emphatic question or inquiry.Idiom: on demand1. When presented for payment: a note payable on demand.2. When needed or asked for: fed the baby on demand.[Middle English demanden, from Old French demander, to charge with doing, and from Medieval Latin d?mand?re, to demand, both from Latin, to entrust : d?-, de- + mand?re, to entrust; see man- in Indo-European roots.]de·mand?a·ble adj.de·mand?er n.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.demand (d??m??nd) vb (tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive) 1. to request peremptorily or urgently2. to require or need as just, urgent, etc: the situation demands attention. 3. to claim as a right; exact: his parents demanded obedience of him. 4. (Law) law to make a formal legal claim to (property, esp realty)n5. an urgent or peremptory requirement or request6. something that requires special effort or sacrifice: a demand on one’s time. 7. the act of demanding something or the thing demanded: the kidnappers’ demand was a million pounds. 8. an insistent question or query9. (Economics) economics a. willingness and ability to purchase goods and servicesb. the amount of a commodity that consumers are willing and able to purchase at a specified price. Compare supply1910. (Law) law a formal legal claim, esp to real property11. in demand sought after; popular12. on demand as soon as requested: a draft payable on demand. [C13: from Anglo-French demaunder, from Medieval Latin d?mand?re, from Latin: to commit to, from de- + mand?re to command, entrust; see mandate] de?mandable adj de?mander nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014de?mand (d??mænd, -?m?nd) v.t. 1. to ask for with proper authority; claim as a right. 2. to ask for peremptorily or urgently: She demanded that we resign. 3. to call for or require as just, proper, or necessary: This task demands patience. v.i. 4. to make a demand; inquire; ask. n. 5. the act of demanding. 6. something that is demanded. 7. an urgent requirement. 8. a. the desire and means to purchase goods. b. the amount of goods purchased at a specific price. 9. the state of being wanted for purchase or use: an article in great demand. 10. Archaic. inquiry; question. Idioms: on demand, a. upon request for or presentation of payment. b. sanctioned by legal rights: abortion on demand. [1250?1300; Middle English demaunden Demand can be a noun or a verb.A demand for something is a firm request for it.Demand for a product or service is the amount of it that people want.If you demand something, you ask for it very forcefully.Be Careful!When demand is a verb, don’t use ‘for’ after it. Don’t say, for example, ‘They are demanding for higher wages’.