beg

[bɛɡ]

beg Definition

• 1. ask someone earnestly or humbly for something
• 2. live by asking for money or food

Using beg: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "beg" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  He begged her to stay.

• Example

  I beg your pardon.

• Example

  The homeless man begs for money on the street corner.

• Example

  She begged for forgiveness.

beg Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for beg

• plead
• implore
• beseech
• entreat
• solicit

Antonyms for beg

• demand
• command
• order

Idioms Using beg

• beggar belief

  be too extraordinary or impossible to believe

  Example

  The level of corruption in the government beggars belief.

• beg steal or borrow

  do whatever is necessary to obtain something, often by illicit means

  Example

  I had no money, so I had to beg, steal, or borrow to pay for the trip.

• beg the issue

  avoid the main point of an argument

  Example

  You're begging the issue by focusing on that minor detail.

Phrases with beg

• beg off

  ask to be excused from doing something

  Example

  I'm going to have to beg off from the dinner party tonight.

• beg the question

  assume the truth of an argument without providing evidence; evade a question by assuming the answer

  Example

  Your argument begs the question of whether or not we can trust the data.

• beg to differ

  respectfully disagree with someone

  Example

  I beg to differ with your assessment of the situation.

Origins of beg

from Old English 'bedecian', meaning 'to ask for, beg'

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Summary: beg in Brief

The verb 'beg' [bɛɡ] means to earnestly or humbly ask for something, or to live by asking for money or food. It can be used in phrases like 'beg off,' meaning to ask to be excused from something, and idioms like 'beggar belief,' which means to be too extraordinary to believe. 'Beg' also has a formal equivalent in 'solicit' and 'entreat.'