This is the 8821st most frequent Portuguese word.
apela
"Apela" means "appeals" or "calls upon" in English.
In this sentence, 'apela' is used to indicate that someone is appealing to, or calling upon, something—here, compassion—to achieve an objective.
Ele apela para a compaixão dos amigos para conseguir ajuda.
He appeals to the compassion of his friends to get help.
Here, 'apela' implies 'resorting to' or making use of something—humor—as a strategy in a given context.
Ela sempre apela ao humor para resolver situações tensas.
She always resorts to humor to solve tense situations.
In this instance, 'apela' is used with a legal connotation, meaning to formally appeal or contest a decision in a judicial context.