beggar

[ beg-er ]
See synonyms for beggar on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a person who begs alms or lives by begging.

  2. a penniless person.

  1. a wretched fellow; rogue: the surly beggar who collects the rents.

  2. a child or youngster (usually preceded by little): a sudden urge to hug the little beggar.

verb (used with object)
  1. to reduce to utter poverty; impoverish: The family had been beggared by the war.

  2. to cause one's resources of or ability for (description, comparison, etc.) to seem poor or inadequate: The costume beggars description.

Origin of beggar

1
First recorded in 1175–1225, beggar is from the Middle English word beggare, beggere. See beg1, -er1, -ar3

Other words from beggar

  • beg·gar·hood, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use beggar in a sentence

  • Beggars are not abundant; but women are required to labor quite extensively in the fields.

    Glances at Europe | Horace Greeley
  • If thou be not a buyer of gold, nor a vendor of silver, tarry not at my door; I have no time for beggars.

    Kari the Elephant | Dhan Gopal Mukerji
  • What extraordinary beggars there are in this city—beggars dressed in silk, with a Persian shawl for a wrap.

    Black Diamonds | Mr Jkai
  • “Beggars must not be choosers,” answered Julian, gruffly, following Mr Nugent into the study.

    Digby Heathcote | W.H.G. Kingston
  • Legibility is the politeness of men of letters, as punctuality of kings and beggars.

British Dictionary definitions for beggar

beggar

/ (ˈbɛɡə) /


noun
  1. a person who begs, esp one who lives by begging

  2. a person who has no money or resources; pauper

  1. ironic, jocular, mainly British fellow: lucky beggar!

verb(tr)
  1. to be beyond the resources of (esp in the phrase to beggar description)

  2. to impoverish; reduce to begging

Derived forms of beggar

  • beggarhood or beggardom, noun

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