beg

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to call upon in supplication

   They beg us for help since they are desperate.

2. 2
   verb

   to dodge, avoid answering, or take for granted

   You beg the question.

3. 3
   verb

   to ask to obtain free

   I begged for money and food.

4. 4
   verb

   To request the help of someone, often in the form of money.

   He begged on the street corner from passers-by.

5. 5
   verb

   To plead with someone for help, a favor, etc.; to entreat.

   I beg your pardon. I didn’t mean to cause offence.

6. 6
   verb

   To unwillingly provoke a negative, often violent, reaction.

   The way you keep eating raw meat, you're just begging to get tapeworms.

7. 7
   verb

   To obviously lack or be in need of something.

   A captivating novel that just begs for a movie adaptation

8. 8
   verb

   To ask to be appointed guardian for, or to ask to have a guardian appointed for.

   Else some will beg thee, in the court of wards.

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…