ask for

British  

verb

1. to try to obtain by requesting

   he asked for help

2. informal (intr) to behave in a provocative manner that is regarded as inviting (trouble)

   she's asking for trouble

   you're asking for it

3. to ask after

   tell your parents I'm asking for them

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ask for Idioms  

1. Also, ask for it. To persist in an action despite the likelihood that it will bring trouble on oneself, as in Speeding as much as he does, he has been asking for a ticket and Mary deserved that low grade; in effect, she asked for it by not studying. [c. 1900] Also see ask for the moon.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ask for

If you enjoy heat, ask for extra basbaas, a green chile and cilantro sauce that brightens the whole plate.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

Following Robertson’s ask for the annual $10 million sweetener in the summer of 2020, Clippers president of business operations Gillian Zucker initiated deals to meet the demand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

He said he will now ask for further detail on its remit, membership and the timeframe for establishing the new committee.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Romo added: “As I turn my attention to my health, my family, and, in time, my return to CBS, I kindly ask for privacy during this period.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

I don’t ask for water, either, because I know it’ll make me have to pee even worse.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• assert
• call for
• claim
• confront
• defy
• demand
• denounce
• impose
• require
• test
• try