beg

verb \ ˈbeg \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: beg in a Sentence

Definition of beg

begged; begging

transitive verb

1 : to ask for as a charity (see charity 1a)

begging food from strangers

begged him for some change

2 a : to ask earnestly for : entreat

beg forgiveness

I beg your pardon.

b : to require as necessary or appropriate

a scene that begged to be photographed

3 : evade, sidestep

begged the real problems

intransitive verb

1 : to ask for alms

children begging on the streets

2 : to ask earnestly

begged for mercy

— beg the question

1 : to elicit a question logically as a reaction or response

the quarterback's injury begs the question of who will start in his place

2 : to pass over or ignore a question by assuming it to be established or settled

See beg defined for English-language learners

See beg defined for kids

Examples of beg in a Sentence

A homeless man begs on that corner every day.
children begging strangers for food
children begging food from strangers
He begged the doctor for medicine.
She begged him to read the story again.
He begged that she would forgive him.
begging a favor of someone
He's too proud to beg.
“Does your dog know any tricks?” “She knows how to beg.”

Recent Examples of beg from the Web

Others in the tight-knit parish would beg to differ.

— donna vickroy, Daily Southtown, "The 'other Sister Jean' says goodbye to St. John Fisher School after 32 years," 8 June 2018
One witness testified that Menchaca begged for his life and pleaded for his assailants to stop.

— Fox News, "Man convicted in Texas dismemberment slaying," 6 June 2018
Crunchy on the outside, but slightly crumbly inside, these rustic oat biscuits positively beg to be submerged in tea or coffee.

— zahra pettican, Bon Appetit, "11 Positively British Snacks to Order Online Before the Royal Wedding," 8 May 2018
Jughead begs to get his documentary footage back in an attempt to protect Fangs.

— amy mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Riverdale Season 2 Episode 20: The Black Hood Returns and the Serpents Aren't Safe," 3 May 2018
With off-trail travel permitted above 4,500 ft in Saguaro National Park’s Rincon Mountain District, windier conditions beg for fast-changing clothing layers even as lower elevations demand lighter apparel.

— peter reese, Popular Mechanics, "4 Reasons Why You Need To Hike the Sonoran Desert," 2 May 2018
But a recent study, published in Social Networks and the Life Course, begs to differ.

— Southern Living, "WATCH: This Is When Your Marriage Will Be Happiest, Science Says," 23 Apr. 2018
The Honeywell, a Harlem cocktail bar, begs to differ.

— david kortava, The New Yorker, "The Seventies Reign at the Honeywell," 7 Apr. 2018
The team has been sending out letters asking (begging?) previous season ticket holders to come back.

— mac engel, star-telegram, "Rangers might stink, so their great park is the main draw | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 24 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beg.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of beg

Middle English beggen

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First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

beg Synonyms

Phrases

call on (or upon);

Synonym Discussion of beg

beg, entreat, beseech, implore, supplicate, adjure, importune mean to ask urgently. beg suggests earnestness or insistence in the asking.

- they begged for help

entreat implies an effort to persuade or to overcome resistance.

- entreated me to join them

beseech and implore imply a deeply felt anxiety.

- I beseech you to have mercy
- implored her not to leave him

supplicate suggests a posture of humility.

- with bowed heads they supplicated their Lord

adjure implies advising as well as pleading.

- we were adjured to tell the truth

importune suggests an annoying persistence in trying to break down resistance to a request.

- importuning viewers for contributions

beg

abbreviation

Definition of beg

begin; beginning

BEG Defined for English Language Learners

beg

verb

Definition of beg for English Language Learners

: to ask people for money or food
: to ask (someone) in a very serious and emotional way for something needed or wanted very much
: to ask for (something needed or wanted very much) in a very serious and emotional way