word-vault

{ "term": "beg", "partOfSpeech": "verb", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "b2", "verbForms": { "presentSimple": { "iYouWeThey": "beg", "heSheIt": "begs" }, "pastSimple": "begged", "pastParticiple": "begged", "ingForm": "begging" }, "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to ask somebody for something especially in an anxious way because you want or need it very much", "sensetop": "beg for somethingbeg somebody for somethingbeg somebodybeg somethingbeg something of/from somebodybeg (somebody) + speechbeg somebody to do somethingbeg to do somethingbeg that…beg of somebodybeg somebody's something", "labels": "(formal)(British English also)(formal)", "cefr": "b2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Now you have to **beg and plead**." }, { "text": "He wants to see them **beg for mercy**.", "contextForm": "beg for something" }, { "text": "They begged him for help.", "contextForm": "beg somebody for something" }, { "text": "Forgive me, I beg you!", "contextForm": "beg somebody" }, { "text": "She begged permission to leave.", "contextForm": "beg something" }, { "text": "I managed to beg a lift from a passing motorist.", "contextForm": "beg something of/from somebody" }, { "text": "Can I beg a favour of you?" }, { "text": "‘Give me one more chance,’ he begged (her).", "contextForm": "beg (somebody) + speech" }, { "text": "I begged him not to go.", "contextForm": "beg somebody to do something" }, { "text": "He begged to be told the truth.", "contextForm": "beg to do something" }, { "text": "She begged that she be allowed to go.", "contextForm": "beg that…" }, { "text": "She begged that she should be allowed to go." }, { "text": "Don't leave me here, I beg of you!", "contextForm": "beg of somebody" }, { "text": "I have come to apologize and to beg your forgiveness.", "contextForm": "beg somebody's something" }, { "text": "We went to him to beg for forgiveness." }, { "text": "In the end they almost begged him to take the job." }, { "text": "We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["almost", "practically", "humbly"], "verb + beg": ["be forced to", "have to"], "preposition": ["for", "of"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to ask somebody for money, food, etc., especially in the street", "sensetop": "beg for somethingbeg for something from somebodybeg something from somebodybeg something", "cefr": "b2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "A young woman was begging in the street." }, { "text": "a begging letter *(= one that asks somebody for money)*" }, { "text": "a begging bowl *(= used to beg for money with)*" }, { "text": "The children were begging for food.", "contextForm": "beg for something" }, { "text": "They will have to beg for money from tourists.", "contextForm": "beg for something from somebody" }, { "text": "We managed to beg a meal from the cafe owner.", "contextForm": "beg something from somebody" }, { "text": "They went off to beg food.", "contextForm": "beg something" } ], "topics": ["Money", "Social issues"], "collocations": { "verb + beg": ["be forced to", "have to"], "preposition": ["for", "from"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "if a dog begs, it sits on its back legs with its front legs in the air, waiting to be given something", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to ask somebody for permission to do something", "labels": "(formal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I beg leave to add a few comments of my own." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "if something is going begging, it is available because nobody else wants it", "labels": "(British English, informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I’ll have that last cake if it’s going begging." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to ask somebody to forgive you for something you have said or done", "labels": "(formal, especially British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "He returned to beg her pardon for his sudden outburst." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to make somebody want to ask a question that has not yet been answered", "examples": [ { "text": "All of which begs the question as to who will fund the project." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to talk about something as if it were definitely true, even though it might not be", "examples": [ { "text": "These assumptions beg the question that children learn languages more easily than adults." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "used to tell somebody that you are sorry for something you have said or done", "labels": "(formal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I beg your pardon, I thought that was my coat." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "used to ask somebody to repeat what they have just said because you did not hear", "examples": [ { "text": "‘It's on Duke Street.’ ‘I beg your pardon.’ ‘Duke Street.’" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "used to tell somebody that you are offended by what they have just said or by the way that they have said it", "labels": "(British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "‘Just go away.’ ‘I beg your pardon!’" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say politely that you do not agree with something that has just been said", "examples": [ { "text": "‘At least she is good at her job.’ ‘Oh, I beg to differ.’" } ], "topics": ["Opinion and argument"] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/beɡ/", "audio": "be/beg/beg__gb_2.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/beɡz/", "audio": "be/beg/begs__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/beɡd/", "audio": "be/beg/begged__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈbeɡɪŋ/", "audio": "be/beg/begging__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/beɡ/", "audio": "be/beg/beg__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/beɡz/", "audio": "be/beg/begs__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/beɡd/", "audio": "be/beg/begged__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈbeɡɪŋ/", "audio": "be/beg/begging__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Middle English: probably from Old English bedecian, of Germanic origin; related to bid2." }