beg
verb (used with object)
to ask for as a gift, as charity, or as a favor: to beg forgiveness.
beg
1 American
[beg]
/ bɛg /
verb (used with object)
-
begs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
begged,
past participle, past
-
begging
present participle
-
to ask for as a gift, as charity, or as a favor: to beg forgiveness.
to beg alms;
to beg forgiveness.
-
to ask (someone) to give or do something; implore.
He begged me for mercy.
Sit down, I beg you.
-
to take for granted without basis or justification.
a statement that begs the very point we're disputing.
-
to fail or refuse to come to grips with; avoid; evade.
a report that consistently begs the whole problem.
verb (used without object)
-
begs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
begged,
past participle, past
-
begging
present participle
-
to ask alms or charity; live by asking alms.
-
to ask humbly or earnestly: begging to differ.
begging for help;
begging to differ.
-
(of a dog) to sit up, as trained, in a posture of entreaty.
verb phrase
idioms
-
go begging, to remain open or available, as a position that is unfilled or an unsold item.
The job went begging for lack of qualified applicants.
-
beg the question,
-
to assume the truth of the very point raised in a question.
-
to evade the issue or avoid a direct answer.
-
to raise the question; inspire one to ask.
-
beg
2
American
[bayg, beg]
/ beɪg, bɛg /
noun
beg.
3
American
abbreviation
-
begin.
-
beginning.
beg
1
British
/ bɛɡ /
verb
-
to solicit (for money, food, etc), esp in the street
-
to ask (someone) for (something or leave to do something) formally, humbly, or earnestly
I beg forgiveness
I beg to differ
-
(intr) (of a dog) to sit up with forepaws raised expectantly
-
to leave unanswered or unresolved
to beg a point
-
-
to evade the issue
-
to assume the thing under examination as proved
-
to suggest that a question needs to be asked
the firm's success begs the question: why aren't more companies doing the same?
-
-
to be unwanted or unused
beg
2
British
/ bɛɡ /
noun
beg
More Idioms
Usage
The use of beg the question to mean that a question needs to be asked is considered by some people to be incorrect
Synonym Usage
Beg and request are used in certain conventional formulas, in the sense of ask. Beg, once a part of many formal expressions used in letter writing, debate, etc., is now used chiefly in such courteous formulas as I beg your pardon; The Committee begs to state, etc. Request, more impersonal and now more formal, is used in giving courteous orders (You are requested to report) and in commercial formulas like to request payment.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
begsimple
-
begssimple
-
have beggedperfect
-
has beggedperfect
-
am beggingprogressive
-
are beggingprogressive
-
is beggingprogressive
-
have been beggingperfect progressive
-
has been beggingperfect progressive
Past
-
beggedsimple
-
had beggedperfect
-
was beggingprogressive
-
were beggingprogressive
-
had been beggingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of beg1
First recorded before 900; Middle English beggen, by assimilation from unattested Old English bedican, variant of bedecian “to beg”; compare Gothic bidagwa “beggar”
Origin of beg2
First recorded in 1680–90; from Ottoman Turkish; see origin at bey
Explanation
To beg is to ask for something in an earnest, pleading way. You might beg your roommates to be quiet if you're desperately trying to get some sleep. You can beg your parents to let you go to a concert with your friends, and you can beg your sister for forgiveness after you inadvertently hurt her feelings. In either case, you are imploring, asking sincerely for something you want. Many dogs are skilled at this, and will beg by sitting beside you while you eat, looking adorable. Another way to beg is to ask for desperately needed charity — to solicit money or food from strangers.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“You almost had to beg people to come,” LeRoy says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
"I beg your mercy so that I can be reunited with my family," he told the court.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
"I don't ask you, I beg you to be brave and consistent," Sánchez said, moments before the two votes took place.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
“I’d go to leave, and she’d put the canvas away, beg me to come back, and as soon as I did, she’d start painting again.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
“Oh! I beg your pardon, sir. I did not immediately recollect. Undoubtedly if you wish it, I will endeavour to persuade them both.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
"There is so much dust and highly polluting traffic in the market where I beg. My eyes are constantly in agony and my sight is deteriorating rapidly."
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2023
"I do my job. And I guess it turns out that I am here to plead. To beg. To please, please do yours."
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2022
“We beg. A lot,” DeWitt said — for donations, for grant money, for sponsorships from wealthier suburban churches.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 17, 2020
“Personally, I don’t want to beg. Nobody wants to beg,” said Puja, 28.
From New York Times ● Dec. 26, 2018
“Don’t give me another dose. Whatever I say, Matthias, no matter how much I beg. I don’t want to be like Nestor, like those Grisha in the cells.”
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Early on, after Jeanie has forgotten to pick her up from school and Delia flounces upstairs, a guilty Jeanie begs Delia to come down and talk rather than bicker by text.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
But it begs the question that we all must answer: We all want the same things for our children, but do we all want the same things for each other?
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2026
The opposite of a guard dog: Golden retriever begs to play with intruder in San Diego break-in.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Lucas has said that his collection, and by extension his museum, represents “the people’s art,” a term that begs as much argument as “treacle.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Give me two minutes!” she begs, and when he nods, we hurry toward the 200-meter mark as fast as I can.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
For five years, Sister Schubert’s fans asked, begged and eventually petitioned for the return of a frozen food composed of two things: a small smoked sausage and a soft Parker House roll.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
"I've begged, stolen and borrowed to ensure that we've got the right resources for the young people of the village," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
DiMario Thomas Sr., a bar bouncer who witnessed Glenn’s death, said Proctor practically begged him to back his version of events after the shooting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
Zhou begged Simpson to reconsider, according to emails included in court filings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“Please, please, let me go,” Chencho begged as he crouched on the ground before us.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
He said it was not a "luxury" ship but affordable -- until the company started "begging for money".
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
Goodwin said: "We are facing a global crisis of violence against women and girls, and we are begging for our safety and experiences to be taken seriously."
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
She’s an interloper among established thespians, a woman in her late 50s who has only just begun listening to the little voice inside her, the one begging her to step outside her comfort zone.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
“I’ve spent my summer begging, borrowing and stealing chips,” Faber said, then clarified: “I don’t want to say steal. Begging and borrowing!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
I don’t want to polish it off too quickly or I’ll look like I’m begging for handouts.
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
