beg

[[t]be̱g[/t]]

begs, begging, begged

1) VERB If you beg someone to do something, you ask them very anxiously or eagerly to do it.

[V n to-inf] I begged him to come back to England with me...

[V to-inf-passive] I begged to be allowed to leave...

[V for n] We are not going to beg for help any more...

[V n] They dropped to their knees and begged forgiveness. [Also V n with quote]

Syn:

beseech

2) VERB: oft cont If someone who is poor is begging, they are asking people to give them food or money.

[V for n] I was surrounded by people begging for food...

There are thousands like him in Los Angeles, begging on the streets and sleeping rough...

[V n] She was living alone, begging food from neighbors.

Syn:

panhandle

3) PHRASE: V inflects (politeness) You say `I beg to differ' when you are politely emphasizing that you disagree with someone.

4) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that something is going begging, you mean that it is available but no one is using it or accepting it.

There is other housing going begging in town.

5) PHRASE: V and N inflect If you say that something begs a particular question, you mean that it makes people want to ask that question; some people consider that this use is incorrect.

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

6) PHRASE: V and N inflect If you say that something begs a particular question, you mean that it assumes that the question has already been answered and so does not deal with it. [WRITTEN]

The research begs a number of questions.

7) I beg your pardon → see pardon