beg
beg
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling and Syllable Breakdown:
beg /bɛɡ/
/bɛɡ/ - beg
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base form: beg
Third-person singular present: begs
Present participle: begging
Past tense: begged
Past participle: begged
Noun:
Singular: beg
Plural: begs
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To ask for something earnestly or humbly.
Synonyms: plead, implore, entreat, beseech, solicit, request
Antonyms: demand, insist, command, refuse, deny
To ask for money or food as charity; to live by asking for charity.
Synonyms: panhandle, cadge, sponge, mooch
Antonyms: give, donate, contribute, provide
To ask for permission or forgiveness in an insistent or desperate way.
Synonyms: supplicate, appeal, importune
Antonyms: forbid, prohibit, disallow
To avoid or try to avoid (something undesirable) by earnest entreaty (often in phrases like "beg the question" or "beg off").
Synonyms: evade, sidestep, circumvent, prevaricate
Antonyms: confront, address, face
Noun
An act of begging or an earnest request.
Synonyms: plea, appeal, entreaty, supplication, petition
Antonyms: demand, order, command, refusal
Examples of Use
Books:
"Please, I beg you," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "don't leave me here alone." (From "The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides, February 2019)
The knight had to beg for mercy from the king after his betrayal, hoping for a lighter sentence. (From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin, August 1996)
Newspapers:
"Local charities beg for donations as winter approaches, citing a surge in demand for assistance." (The Standard)
"Activists beg the government to reconsider the proposed environmental policies." (The Nation)
Online Publications:
"Why Your Dog Likes to Beg for Food at the Table" (PetMD.com)
"In a desperate plea, scientists beg for more funding to combat climate change." (Scientific American)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "I beg your pardon, I didn't mean to offend you." (Line from "Downton Abbey" film, September 2019)
Television Series: "He's going to beg for his life if he knows what's good for him." (Dialogue from "Breaking Bad," Season 3, Episode 10, May 2010)
Song Lyrics: "And I beg, beg, beg, beg you to stay." (From the song "Beggin'" by Måneskin, released 2017, originally The Four Seasons 1967)
Video Game: "The villagers will beg for your help if you complete this quest." (In-game dialogue from "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," November 2011)
General Public Discourse:
"My kids always beg me for ice cream after dinner." (Casual conversation among parents)
"You'd have to beg me to go to that concert; it's just not my kind of music." (Informal discussion among friends)
"Don't beg the question by assuming everyone agrees with your premise." (Academic discussion or debate)
10 Quotes Using Beg
"I beg you, do not be afraid of the future." (Pope John Paul II)
"I beg your pardon, but I am not accustomed to being contradicted." (Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest)
"I beg to inform you that I have not been well treated." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
"We beg no pardon of the world." (Frederick Douglass, What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? speech, 1852)
"I beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart." (Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet, 1903)
"I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden." (Lynn Anderson, "Rose Garden" song lyrics, 1970)
"I beg that you will not forget the poor." (Mother Teresa)
"I beg you, let me have it." (William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene I)
"I beg you, do not mock me, fellow-student." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene II)
"When a man is in despair, it means that he has ceased to beg for anything from himself." (Jean-Paul Sartre)
Etymology
The word "beg" has a somewhat debated origin, but here's the easiest way to understand its journey into English:
Imagine someone asking for something very earnestly, perhaps like someone asking for food or money on the street. That core idea of asking humbly or pleading is where "beg" comes from.
The most likely theory is that it evolved from a rare Old English word, bedecian. This word also meant "to beg." It might be connected to older Germanic roots that meant something like "plea" or "petition." Interestingly, this is the same root that gave us the word "bead," as in a prayer bead, because "bead" originally meant "prayer." So, there's a subtle connection there between asking for something and praying.
Another idea is that "beg" might have come into English a bit later as a "back-formation" from the word "beggar." "Beggar" might have come from an Old French word begart, which itself might be linked to a religious group called the Beguines or Beghards, who were known for being mendicants (people who relied on begging for survival). If "beggar" came first, then "beg" would have been created by dropping the "-ar" ending.
Regardless of the exact path, the first known use of "beg" in the sense of "to ask for alms" or "to live by asking for charity" appeared around 1200 AD in Middle English. Over time, its meaning expanded to include asking for favors, or even more formal or polite requests, like "I beg your pardon."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Beg
Beg off: To politely ask to be excused from an obligation or event.
Beg the question: To assume the truth of something that has not been proven; to raise a question or point that has not been dealt with.
Beg, borrow, or steal: To acquire something by any means possible, including asking, borrowing, or even illegally.
Beg for mercy: To desperately ask for forgiveness or leniency.
Beg to differ: To politely express disagreement.
Beg your pardon: A polite expression used to apologize for an interruption, a misunderstanding, or a minor offense.
Begging for trouble: Acting in a way that is likely to lead to problems or punishment.
Beggars can't be choosers: People who are in great need must accept whatever help they can get, even if it's not exactly what they wanted.
Go begging: To be unwanted or unused; to be available because no one has taken it.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of beg from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
