Repeatedly asking to be careful (10)

I believe the answer is:

solicitous

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'careful' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'repeatedly asking to' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'to' is present in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

'be' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for solicitous that I've seen before include "Showing concerned attention" , "Anxious - concerned" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.