beg
verb /beɡ/
/beɡ/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they beg | /beɡ/ /beɡ/ |
| he / she / it begs | /beɡz/ /beɡz/ |
| past simple begged | /beɡd/ /beɡd/ |
| past participle begged | /beɡd/ /beɡd/ |
| -ing form begging | /ˈbeɡɪŋ/ /ˈbeɡɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to ask somebody for something especially in an anxious way because you want or need it very much
- Now you have to beg and plead.
- beg for something He wants to see them beg for mercy.
- beg somebody for something They begged him for help.
- beg somebody Forgive me, I beg you!
- beg something She begged permission to leave.
- beg something of/from somebody I managed to beg a lift from a passing motorist.
- Can I beg a favour of you?
- beg (somebody) + speech ‘Give me one more chance,’ he begged (her).
- beg somebody to do something She begged him not to go.
- beg to do something He begged to be told the truth.
- beg that… (formal) She begged that she be allowed to go.
- (British English also) She begged that she should be allowed to go.
- beg of somebody (formal) Don't leave me here, I beg of you!
- beg somebody's something I have come to apologize and to beg your forgiveness.
More Like This Verbs usually followed by infinitivesVerbs usually followed by infinitives- afford
- agree
- appear
- arrange
- attempt
- beg
- choose
- consent
- decide
- expect
- fail
- happen
- hesitate
- hope
- intend
- learn
- manage
- mean
- neglect
- offer
- prepare
- pretend
- promise
- refuse
- swear
- try
- want
- wish
Extra Examples- We went to him to beg for forgiveness.
- In the end they almost begged him to take the job.
- We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- almost
- practically
- humbly
- …
- be forced to
- have to
- for
- of
- [intransitive, transitive] to ask somebody for money, food, etc., especially in the street
- London is full of homeless people begging in the streets.
- a begging letter (= one that asks somebody for money)
- a begging bowl (= used to beg for money with)
- beg for something The children were begging for food.
- beg for something from somebody They will have to beg for money from tourists.
- beg something from somebody We managed to beg a meal from the cafe owner.
- beg something They went off to beg food.
WordfinderTopics Moneyb2, Social issuesb2- beg
- benefit
- charity
- homeless
- hostel
- the poor
- poverty
- shanty town
- sweatshop
- unemployment
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + beg- be forced to
- have to
- for
- from
- [intransitive] if a dog begs, it sits on its back legs with its front legs in the air, waiting to be given somethingMore Like This Consonant-doubling verbsConsonant-doubling verbs
- bob
- club
- dub
- grab
- rub
- sob
- throb
- kid
- nod
- pad
- plod
- prod
- shred
- skid
- thud
- beg
- blog
- bug
- drag
- drug
- flag
- hug
- jog
- log
- mug
- nag
- plug
- bar
- confer
- infer
- occur
- prefer
- refer
- star
- stir
- transfer
- acquit
- admit
- allot
- chat
- clot
- commit
- jut
- knit
- pat
- regret
- rot
- spot
- submit
- appal
- cancel
- channel
- control
- counsel
- enrol
- equal
- excel
- fuel
- fulfil
- label
- level
- marvel
- model
- pedal
- quarrel
- signal
- travel
Word OriginMiddle English: probably from Old English bedecian, of Germanic origin; related to bid2.
Idioms
beg leave to do something
- (formal) to ask somebody for permission to do something
- I beg leave to add a few comments of my own.
be going begging
- (British English, informal) if something is going begging, it is available because nobody else wants it
- I’ll have that last cake if it’s going begging.
beg somebody’s pardon
- (formal, especially British English) to ask somebody to forgive you for something you have said or done
- He returned to beg her pardon for his sudden outburst.
beg the question
- to make somebody want to ask a question that has not yet been answered
- All of which begs the question as to who will fund the project.
- to talk about something as if it were definitely true, even though it might not be
- These assumptions beg the question that children learn languages more easily than adults.
I beg your pardon
- (formal) used to tell somebody that you are sorry for something you have said or done
- I beg your pardon, I thought that was my coat.
- used to ask somebody to repeat what they have just said because you did not hear
- ‘It's on Duke Street.’ ‘I beg your pardon.’ ‘Duke Street.’
- (British English) used to tell somebody that you are offended by what they have just said or by the way that they have said it
- ‘Just go away.’ ‘I beg your pardon!’
I beg to differ
- used to say politely that you do not agree with something that has just been said
- ‘At least she is good at her job.’ ‘Oh, I beg to differ.’