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beggar

[ beg-er ]
/ ˈbɛg ər /
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See synonyms for: beggar / beggared / beggaring on Thesaurus.com

noun
a person who begs alms or lives by begging.
a penniless person.
a wretched fellow; rogue: the surly beggar who collects the rents.
a child or youngster (usually preceded by little): a sudden urge to hug the little beggar.
verb (used with object)
to reduce to utter poverty; impoverish: The family had been beggared by the war.
to cause one's resources of or ability for (description, comparison, etc.) to seem poor or inadequate: The costume beggars description.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as


Origin of beggar

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. 2023

How to use beggar in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for beggar

beggar
/ (ˈbɛɡə) /

noun
a person who begs, esp one who lives by begging
a person who has no money or resources; pauper
ironic, jocular, mainly British fellowlucky beggar!
verb (tr)
to be beyond the resources of (esp in the phrase to beggar description)
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
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