Definition of "beg"

beg¹

/bɛɡ/

verb
third-person singular simple present begs, present participle begging, simple past and past participle begged
1. (intransitive) To request the help of someone, often in the form of money.
2. (transitive) To plead with someone for help, a favor, etc.; to entreat.
  Quotations
  you do beg your good will in this case.
  c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iii]
  [Joseph] begged the body of Jesus.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Matthew 27:58
  But that same day came Sam Tewkesbury to the Why Not? about nightfall, and begged a glass of rum, being, as he said, 'all of a shake' [...]
  1898, J. Meade Falkner, chapter 5, in Moonfleet, London, Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934
3. (transitive) To unwillingly provoke a negative, often violent, reaction.
4. (transitive or intransitive) To obviously lack or be in need of something.
  Quotations
  The colors in this cell are as dull as its architects must have been. An endless expanse of drab-green textured walls, contrasting with the gray concrete floor. It begs redecoration.
  1985 April 13, Philip Brasfield, “Echoes Inside of What's Outside”, in Gay Community News, page 4
5. (transitive) In the phrase beg the question: to assume.
6. (transitive, proscribed) In the phrase beg the question: to raise (a question).
7. (transitive, law, obsolete) To ask to be appointed guardian for, or to ask to have a guardian appointed for.
  Quotations
  Else some will beg thee, in the court of wards.
  a. 1612, John Harington, Epigrams
noun
plural begs
1. The act of begging; an imploring request.
  Quotations
  “Lord,” I prayed, “it's a long time since I came to You for anything besides a quick beg for help. And it seems every time I come to You I'm asking something bigger, more impossible. But I'm here again. […]
  2008, Cathy Gohlke, William Henry is a Fine Name/I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires Set

beg²

/bɛɡ/

noun
plural begs
1. A provincial governor under the Ottoman Empire; a bey.

beg³

/bɛɡ/

noun
1. (knitting) Abbreviation of beginning.
  Quotations
  Knit with MC until work measures 3 inches from beg.
  2005, DRG Dynamic Resource, Big Book of Knit Hats & Scarves for Everyone, House of White Birches, page 34

Definition of "beg"

beg1

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

noun

Quotations

beg2

noun

beg3

noun

Quotations

beg¹

beg²

beg³