ask
to put a question to; inquire of: I asked him but he didn't answer.
to request information about: to ask the way.
to try to get by using words; request: to ask advice; to ask a favor.
to solicit from; request of: Could I ask you a favor? Ask her for advice.
to demand; expect: What price are they asking? A little silence is all I ask.
to set a price of: to ask $20 for the hat.
to call for; need; require: This experiment asks patience.
to invite: to ask guests to dinner.
Archaic. to publish (banns).
to make inquiry; inquire: to ask about a person.
to request or petition (usually followed by for): to ask for leniency; to ask for food.
a question or inquiry.
a request, especially a demanding one: Is it too big an ask for you to give me a loan?
Idioms about ask
ask for it, to risk or invite trouble, danger, punishment, etc., by persisting in some action or manner: He was asking for it by his abusive remarks.
Origin of ask
1synonym study For ask
Other words for ask
Opposites for ask
Other words from ask
- asker, noun
- un·ask·ing, adjective
- un·ask·ing·ly, adverb
Words Nearby ask
How to use ask in a sentence
As a best practice, position your ask as something that will benefit their readers.
Six strategies guaranteed to help you build more backlinks to your website | Izabelle Hundrev | December 10, 2020 | Search Engine WatchThis ask comes as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly “softening” to the idea of including stimulus checks in the next package, Politico reported Tuesday.
A last-ditch push to save stimulus checks is gaining traction | Lance Lambert | December 8, 2020 | FortuneIt seems that isn't an unreasonable ask, but she should own her preference rather than try to pretend that she is just trying to protect the sister-in-law.
Carolyn Hax: To summarize, you want to exclude her because she’s disabled? | Carolyn Hax | October 29, 2020 | Washington Post“Little did I know how big of an ask it was but, if you want to be at the center of God’s will, you have to be submissive and you have to put yourself out there and I’m so glad I did,” she said.
In Senate rematch, Democrats hope for an Espy upset but remain realistic about Mississippi politics | Sarah Fowler | October 23, 2020 | Washington PostIt’s a tough ask — especially when your team goes from regulation-sized to spanning the globe.
What if Your Company Had No Rules? (Bonus Episode) | Maria Konnikova | September 12, 2020 | Freakonomics
If ISIS “came into a base and killed hundreds of troops, then people would ask a lot more questions.”
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War | Nancy A. Youssef | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd I need to ask why their truth makes me so defensive, as if my truth is the only truth.
One is forced to ask, what on earth was Andrew doing hanging out with scantily clad teenagers?
Buckingham Palace Disputes Sex Allegations Against Prince ‘Randy Andy’ | Tom Sykes | January 4, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“You ask me my motivation,” Marvin says, moving back into his tough guy persona again.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile | Robert Ward | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTI ask Atefeh and Monir if they see dancing as a form of income in the future, a potential career.
Iran’s Becoming a Footloose Nation as Dance Lessons Spread | IranWire | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST"There's just one thing I'd like to ask, if you don't mind," said Cynthia, coming suddenly out of a brown study.
The Boarded-Up House | Augusta Huiell SeamanThat it is a reasonable and proper thing to ask our statesmen and politicians: what is going to happen to the world?
The Salvaging Of Civilisation | H. G. (Herbert George) WellsI ask for half a dozen projectors or so in every school, and for a well-stocked storehouse of films.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation | H. G. (Herbert George) WellsFor it is better that thy children should ask of thee, than that thou look toward the hands of thy children.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousFinally, let me ask the general reader to put aside all prejudice, and give both sides a fair hearing.
God and my Neighbour | Robert Blatchford
British Dictionary definitions for ask (1 of 2)
/ (ɑːsk) /
(often foll by about) to put a question (to); request an answer (from): she asked ( him ) about God
(tr) to inquire about: she asked him the time of the train; she asked the way
(tr) to direct or put (a question)
(may take a clause as object or an infinitive often foll by for) to make a request or demand: she asked ( him ) for information; they asked for a deposit
(tr) to demand or expect (esp in the phrases ask a lot of, ask too much of)
Also: ask out, ask over (tr) to request (a person) politely to come or go to a place; invite: he asked her to the party
(tr) to need; require: the job asks both time and patience
(tr) archaic to proclaim (marriage banns)
a big ask or a tough ask British, Australian and NZ informal a task which is difficult to fulfil
Origin of ask
1Derived forms of ask
- asker, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Ask (2 of 2)
/ (ɑːsk) /
Norse myth the first man, created by the gods from an ash tree
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with ask
In addition to the idioms beginning with ask
- ask a stupid question and you'll get a stupid answer
- ask for
- ask for the moon
- ask out
, see
- don't ask
- for the asking
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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