begbeg /bɛg/ ●●○ S3 verb (begged, begging) 1
ASK [intransitive, transitive] to ask for something in an anxious or urgent way, because you want it very much: beg (somebody) to do something The boy begged to be left alone. I begged him to stay, but he wouldn’t.beg (somebody) for something My daughter is begging me for a kitten. On the tape you could hear him begging for mercy. She ran to the nearest house and begged for help. He begged his wife’s forgiveness. She begged and pleaded with them until they agreed.► see thesaurus at ask2MONEY/FOOD [intransitive, transitive] to ask people to give you food, money, etc. because you are very poor: Children were begging in the streets.beg for something They were reduced to begging for food.beg from somebody An old man begged from people who walked by.3ANIMAL [intransitive] if an animal such as a dog begs, it asks for food4I beg your pardon spoken a)used in order to politely ask someone to repeat what he or she has just said: “And the year of your birth?” “I beg your pardon?” “When were you born?” b)used in order to politely say you are sorry when you have made a mistake, or have said something wrong or embarrassing: Oh, I beg your pardon. Are you all right? c)said to show that you strongly disagree with something that someone has said, or think it is unacceptable, often used humorously: “East Coast people are kind of uptight, aren’t they?” “I beg your pardon!”5beg, borrow, or steal an expression meaning to do whatever you must in order to get what you want or to achieve something difficult, often used humorously: The designers would beg, borrow, or steal in order to get the show ready.6beg to differ formal to firmly disagree with something that has been said: Kreis begs to differ with the report on him printed in “The Star.”7beg the question a)if something begs the question, it avoids dealing with the question or subject being discussed, and makes you want to ask that question: beg of The movie begs the question of how “real” a film can be if all the people in it know they are being filmed. b)to argue or discuss something as though it were true or had been proved, when it may not be true: The plan begs the question of whether the development is actually needed.[Origin: 1200–1300 Probably from Old English bedecian]—begging noun [uncountable]
ASK [intransitive, transitive] to ask for something in an anxious or urgent way, because you want it very much: beg (somebody) to do something The boy begged to be left alone. I begged him to stay, but he wouldn’t.beg (somebody) for something My daughter is begging me for a kitten. On the tape you could hear him begging for mercy. She ran to the nearest house and begged for help. He begged his wife’s forgiveness. She begged and pleaded with them until they agreed.► see thesaurus at ask2MONEY/FOOD [intransitive, transitive] to ask people to give you food, money, etc. because you are very poor: Children were begging in the streets.beg for something They were reduced to begging for food.beg from somebody An old man begged from people who walked by.3ANIMAL [intransitive] if an animal such as a dog begs, it asks for food4I beg your pardon spoken a)used in order to politely ask someone to repeat what he or she has just said: “And the year of your birth?” “I beg your pardon?” “When were you born?” b)used in order to politely say you are sorry when you have made a mistake, or have said something wrong or embarrassing: Oh, I beg your pardon. Are you all right? c)said to show that you strongly disagree with something that someone has said, or think it is unacceptable, often used humorously: “East Coast people are kind of uptight, aren’t they?” “I beg your pardon!”5beg, borrow, or steal an expression meaning to do whatever you must in order to get what you want or to achieve something difficult, often used humorously: The designers would beg, borrow, or steal in order to get the show ready.6beg to differ formal to firmly disagree with something that has been said: Kreis begs to differ with the report on him printed in “The Star.”7beg the question a)if something begs the question, it avoids dealing with the question or subject being discussed, and makes you want to ask that question: beg of The movie begs the question of how “real” a film can be if all the people in it know they are being filmed. b)to argue or discuss something as though it were true or had been proved, when it may not be true: The plan begs the question of whether the development is actually needed.[Origin: 1200–1300 Probably from Old English bedecian]—begging noun [uncountable]