beg
beg — verb
1. to ask for something in a deeply anxious or emotional way
to ask for something in a deeply anxious or emotional way
Yara begged the nurse to let her see her father.
beg somebody to do something
At the border, the hikers begged for water and dry socks.
beg for + noun
"Please don't sell the shop," Uncle Ray begged.
During the storm, villagers begged the mayor for a rescue boat.
Even after the test ended, Leo begged for five more minutes.
- demand
suggests force or authority instead of humble urgency
文法句型
beg for something
beg somebody for something
beg somebody to do something
beg + direct speech
用法筆記
Only sense that commonly takes patterns like beg for something, beg somebody to do something, or direct speech. Distinguish from sense 2, where the speaker is asking for charity because of poverty.
常見錯誤
2. to seek food, money, or small help from strangers when you have nothing
to seek food, money, or small help from strangers when you have nothing
Outside the station, an old man begged for coins in the rain.
beg for + money
After losing his job, Ken begged money from strangers near the bridge.
beg money from somebody
Two children were begging at the market for bread and fruit.
All winter, Rosa begged on the train until a guard stopped her.
At sunset, a barefoot boy begged outside the temple gate.
文法句型
beg for money
beg for food
beg money from somebody
beg in the street
用法筆記
Subject is usually a poor or homeless person, and the thing asked for is often money, food, or small daily help. Distinguish from sense 1, which covers urgent requests in many situations and is not limited to charity.
常見錯誤
3. of a dog, to sit up with its front paws raised while waiting for food
of a dog, to sit up with its front paws raised while waiting for food
When Nora held up a biscuit, the puppy begged at once.
a dog begs for food
At the pet show, three small dogs begged for treats together.
Rufus begged beside the table until Grandma laughed.
After one clap, the brown poodle begged on its back legs.
- sit up
common everyday wording in dog training
- sit pretty
a training phrase for the same raised-paws position
文法句型
a dog begs
beg on its back legs
用法筆記
Usually used of trained dogs in home or show contexts. It often appears with words that describe treats, tables, or the dog's back legs.
4. said politely when you want to apologize or ask someone to repeat something
said politely when you want to apologize or ask someone to repeat something
"Beg your pardon, Mrs. Lin, I stepped on your bag."
spoken apology: beg your pardon
"Beg your pardon?" the clerk asked through the noisy glass.
asking someone to repeat
From the back row, Omar said, "Beg pardon, could you repeat that?"
"I beg your pardon, Coach, the ball hit the wrong line."
文法句型
beg your pardon
beg pardon
用法筆記
Fixed spoken formula, usually beg your pardon or beg pardon. Distinguish from sense 5: this sense is polite or apologetic, while sense 5 sounds offended.
常見錯誤
5. said sharply to show that another person's words seem rude or insulting
said sharply to show that another person's words seem rude or insulting
"I beg your pardon?" Aunt May said after the rude joke.
offended reaction
"Beg your pardon?" the driver snapped when Max called him lazy.
spoken formula with anger
At the dinner table, Grandpa said, "I beg your pardon?" in a hard voice.
"I beg your pardon!" Ms. Chen replied when the boy mocked her accent.
- what
much blunter and less polite
- excuse me
can also show offence, but often sounds less formal
- how dare you
far stronger and openly confrontational
文法句型
I beg your pardon?
beg your pardon?
用法筆記
Fixed spoken formula, often with strong stress on pardon. Distinguish from sense 4: this use challenges what was said, instead of apologizing or neutrally asking for repetition.