beggar

[ beg-er ]

noun

1. a person who begs beg alms or lives by begging. beg.
2. a penniless person.
3. a wretched fellow; rogue:

   the surly beggar who collects the rents.

4. a child or youngster (usually preceded by little ):

   a sudden urge to hug the little beggar.

verb (used with object)

1. to reduce to utter poverty; impoverish:

   The family had been beggared by the war.

2. to cause one's resources of or ability for (description, comparison, etc.) to seem poor or inadequate:

   The costume beggars description.

beggar

/ ˈbɛɡə /

noun

1. a person who begs, esp one who lives by begging
2. a person who has no money or resources; pauper
3. ironic.
   fellow

   lucky beggar!

verb

1. to be beyond the resources of (esp in the phrase to beggar description )
2. to impoverish; reduce to begging

Derived Forms

• ˈbeggarˌhood, noun

Other Words From

• beggar·hood noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of beggar¹

First recorded in 1175–1225, beggar is from the Middle English word beggare, beggere. See beg ¹, -er ¹, -ar ³

Example Sentences

One of our two political parties has, during the last two decades, descended into such unseriousness and gross irresponsibility as to beggar belief.

From Salon

“In any other country, if you see a beggar, it’s clear he’s a beggar,” said Habib Kareem, 26, a lawyer in Islamabad, the capital.

From New York Times

“But here, you see a beggar and you think to yourself, ‘He’s working for them,’” he added, referring to Pakistan’s powerful intelligence services.

From New York Times

You become a general contractor, goat herder, traffic cop, negotiator and beggar in a byzantine system that would be so much better — for doctors and patients — if it were more about the mission of healthcare than the business of it.

From Los Angeles Times

The night was as black as a beggar’s toenail.

From Literature

Related Words

• bum
• panhandler
• vagabond