beg

verb

/beɡ/ (-gg-)

Definition

B2 [I or T] to make a very strong and urgent request: They begged for mercy. [+ speech] "Please, please forgive me!" she begged (him). [+ obj + to infinitive ] He begged her to stay, but she simply laughed and put her bags in the car.Making appeals and requests B2 [I or T] to ask for food or money because you are poor: There are more and more homeless people begging on the streets these days. She had to beg for money and food for her children. He begged a loan from his boss.Making appeals and requests › [I] If a dog begs, it sits with its front legs in the air as if to ask for something: They have trained their dog to sit up and beg.Animal (non-human) behaviour I beg your pardon › a polite way of saying "I am sorry" or "Could you repeat what you just said?"Making and accepting apologies › a way of showing that you are angry about something that someone has just said: I beg your pardon? I hope you're not implying that I lied!Expressions of anger

(Definition of beg verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)