beggar
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.
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.
Origin of beggar
1Other 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
To cyber security experts, the naivety of this statement beggars belief.
To go with that, though, too many of us in the middle class want beggars to be kept out of sight.
Kailash Satyarthi, Malala's Nobel Peace Prize Co-Winner, Is Fighting India's Child Slavery Epidemic | Dilip D’Souza | October 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTTo somehow claim him as a hero for libertarianism beggars belief.
Why The Tea Party Won’t Go Away And More Wisdom From Matt Kibbe | Michael Signer | April 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe beggars and pups program drew fire from animal rights activists who worried the foster dogs might be mistreated.
Clean Crack Pipes for All! San Francisco’s Final Social Justice Frontier | Michael Daly | January 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI cringed when one actually screamed at me: "How can beggars be choosers?"
The Pointlessness of Some Disaster Charity After the Indian Floods | Dilip D’Souza | June 26, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Beggars are not abundant; but women are required to labor quite extensively in the fields.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyIf 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 MukerjiWhat 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. KingstonLegibility is the politeness of men of letters, as punctuality of kings and beggars.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25) | Robert Louis Stevenson
British Dictionary definitions for beggar
/ (ˈbɛɡə) /
a person who begs, esp one who lives by begging
a person who has no money or resources; pauper
ironic, jocular, mainly British fellow: lucky beggar!
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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