beg

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈbeɪɡ/ UK /ˈbɛɡ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like vague /v/ vs /b/

Freq #1367

Meanings

1

verb
To ask people for money or food, usually because you are poor.

He begged for food on the street corner.
2

verb
To ask someone for something very earnestly; to plead.

I beg your pardon, I didn't mean to offend you.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with beg

beg off Phrasal verb A2

to ask to be excused from something you had agreed to do

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to ask someone for... implore plead

More beseech entreat sue

Word family

Forms beggedbeggingbegs

Derived forms begathonbeggablebegpackerbegpackingbegwareblegoutbegsit-up-and-begunbegged

Related forms beggar

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

beg off
to ask to be excused from something you had agreed to do

Verb + adverb

Idioms (1)

See all

beg the question
to make one naturally want to ask a particular question; (formally) to assume the very point being argued

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English beggen, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old English *becgian, *bedcian, syncopated forms of bedecian (“to beg”), itself of obscure origin. Possibly from Proto-West Germanic *bedukōn, a frequentative verb derived from Proto-West Germanic *bedu (“plea, petition, prayer”, whence English bead). Alternatively from Proto-West Germanic *bedagō (“petitioner, requester, beggar”), an agent noun from the same source. Compare North Frisian bēdagi (“to pray”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍅𐌰 (bidagwa, “beggar”). All ultimately from the root of English bid, which see for more. An alternative…

beggen Middle English *bedukōn Proto-West Germanic *bedu Proto-West Germanic *bedagō Proto-West Germanic begart Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# beg

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈbeɪɡ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbɛɡ/
**Frequency rank:** 1367

## Meanings
1. To ask people for money or food, usually because you are poor.
2. To ask someone for something very earnestly; to plead.

## Examples
- He begged for food on the street corner.
- I beg your pardon, I didn't mean to offend you.

## Synonyms
- beseech
- entreat
- sue

## Derived Forms
- begathon
- beggable
- begpacker
- begpacking
- begware
- bleg
- outbeg
- sit-up-and-beg
- unbegged

## Related Forms
- beggar

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: beggen
- Root: *bedukōn
- Root: *bedu
- Root: *bedagō
- Root: begart

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English beggen, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old English *becgian, *bedcian, syncopated forms of bedecian (“to beg”), itself of obscure origin. Possibly from Proto-West Germanic *bedukōn, a frequentative verb derived from Proto-West Germanic *bedu (“plea, petition, prayer”, whence English bead). Alternatively from Proto-West Germanic *bedagō (“petitioner, requester, beggar”), an agent noun from the same source. Compare North Frisian bēdagi (“to pray”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍅𐌰 (bidagwa, “beggar”). All ultimately from the root of English bid, which see for more. An alternative…

## AI Etymology
Beg is inherited from Middle English beggen, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old English *becgian, *bedcian, syncopated forms of bedecian (“to beg”), itself of obscure origin. Possibly from Proto-West Germanic *bedukōn, a frequentative verb derived from Proto-West Germanic *bedu (“plea, petition, prayer”, whence English bead). Alternatively from Proto-West Germanic *bedagō (“petitioner, requester, beggar”), an agent noun from the same source. Compare North Frisian bēdagi (“to pray”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍅𐌰 (bidagwa, “beggar”). All ultimately from the root of English bid, which see for more.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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beg