Which term means to harass or importune, often with requests?

The term that means to harass or importune, often with requests, is "besiege." This word comes from a literal military context where an army surrounds a place to capture it, but it has also evolved to mean overwhelming someone with persistent requests or demands. In everyday usage, when a person is besieged, they experience ongoing pressure from others for something, emphasizing the sense of being inundated and unable to escape the requests being placed upon them.

The other terms do not convey the same meaning. "Defy" means to openly resist or refuse to obey, while "defile" refers to making something dirty or unclean. "Admonish" means to warn or reprimand someone firmly, which does not capture the sense of persistent requests that "besiege" conveys. Therefore, choosing "besiege" accurately reflects the idea of harassment through repeated demands or inquiries.