beg

¹

[ beg ]

verb (used with object)

, begged, beg·ging.

1. to ask for as a gift, as charity, or as a favor: to beg forgiveness.

   to beg alms;

   to beg forgiveness.

2. to ask (someone) to give or do something; implore:

   He begged me for mercy.

   Sit down, I beg you.

   Synonyms: petition, beseech, pray, entreat

3. to take for granted without basis or justification:

   a statement that begs the very point we're disputing.

4. to fail or refuse to come to grips with; avoid; evade:

   a report that consistently begs the whole problem.

verb (used without object)

, begged, beg·ging.

1. to ask alms or charity; live by asking alms.
2. to ask humbly or earnestly: begging to differ.

   begging for help;

   begging to differ.

3. (of a dog) to sit up, as trained, in a posture of entreaty.

verb phrase

1. to request or obtain release from an obligation, promise, etc.:

   He had promised to drive us to the recital but begged off at the last minute.

beg

²

[ beyg, beg ]

noun

1. bey.

beg.

³

abbreviation for

1. begin.
2. beginning.

beg

¹

/ bɛɡ /

noun

1. a variant of bey

beg

²

/ bɛɡ /

verb

1. whenintr, often foll by for to solicit (for money, food, etc), esp in the street
2. to ask (someone) for (something or leave to do something) formally, humbly, or earnestly

   I beg to differ

   I beg forgiveness

3. intr (of a dog) to sit up with forepaws raised expectantly
4. to leave unanswered or unresolved

   to beg a point

5. beg the question
   1. to evade the issue
   2. to assume the thing under examination as proved
   3. to suggest that a question needs to be asked

      the firm's success begs the question: why aren't more companies doing the same?

6. go begging or go a-begging
   to be unwanted or unused

Usage

The use of beg the question to mean that a question needs to be asked is considered by some people to be incorrect

Other Words From

• half-begging adjective
• un·begged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beg¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English beggen, by assimilation from unattested Old English bedican, variant of bedecian “to beg”; compare Gothic bidagwa “beggar”

Origin of beg²

First recorded in 1680–90; from Ottoman Turkish; bey

Word History and Origins

Origin of beg¹

C13: probably from Old English bedecian ; related to Gothic bidagwa beggar

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. beg the question,
   1. to assume the truth of the very point raised in a question.
   2. to evade the issue or avoid a direct answer.
   3. to raise the question; inspire one to ask.
2. go begging, to remain open or available, as a position that is unfilled or an unsold item:

   The job went begging for lack of qualified applicants.

More idioms and phrases containing beg

• go begging

Synonym Study

Beg and request are used in certain conventional formulas, in the sense of ask. Beg, once a part of many formal expressions used in letter writing, debate, etc., is now used chiefly in such courteous formulas as I beg your pardon; The Committee begs to state, etc. Request, more impersonal and now more formal, is used in giving courteous orders (You are requested to report) and in commercial formulas like to request payment.

Example Sentences

The raw figures reported beg many questions and it is difficult to draw simple conclusions from them.

From BBC

Los Angeles is the only major city in the country without one, which forces its public works departments to beg and scramble for funding every year.

From Los Angeles Times

Others are at your ordinary parking lot, or are at a dock begging.

From Salon

He now spends his time writing op-eds no one cares about and desperately begging for relevance.

From Salon

The MP also said he regularly read "heart-breaking posts" on local forums from parents in "utter despair" begging for baby food donations to tide them over until the next pay day.

From BBC

Related Words

• ask
• beseech
• implore
• plead
• pray
• solicit
• sue
• urge