Английский Этимологический словарь - appeal (v.)

- early 14c., from Anglo-Fr. apeler "to call upon, accuse," from L. appellare "to accost," iterative of appellere "to prepare," from ad- "to" + pellere "to beat, drive," probably a metaphoric extension of a nautical term for "driving a ship toward a particular landing." The legal sense was in M.E.