beg

¹

[beg]

verb (used with object)

begged, begging 

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, begging 

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. beg off,  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

1. begin.

2. beginning.

beg

¹

/ bɛɡ /

verb

1. 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 forgiveness

   I beg to differ

3. (intr) (of a dog) to sit up with forepaws raised expectantly

4. to leave unanswered or unresolved

   to beg a point

5. 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. to be unwanted or unused

beg

²

/ bɛɡ /

noun

1. a variant of bey

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 Word Forms

• half-begging adjective
• unbegged 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. 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.

2. 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.

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

Casey told state parole officials this year that Pahler begged for her mother and Jesus before he stomped on the back of her neck.

From Los Angeles Times

A mother repeatedly begged to be admitted to a mental health unit before taking her own life, her family has said.

From BBC

The families of two officers who died, Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, have said their murders were preventable and begged authorities to learn from the tragedy that ripped apart their families.

From BBC

Witnesses have described seeing children bleeding as they fled from the church, begging for help from strangers.

From BBC

"The boy's grandmother and mother were crying and holding on to the driver's legs, begging him not to shoot. We passengers were frozen with fear."

From BBC

Related Words

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