beg
/ˈbeɡ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.05 in modern English
6
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "He begged on the street corner from passers-by."
- "I beg your pardon. I didn’t mean to cause offence."
- "He begged her to go to the prom with him."
- "you do beg your good will in this case."
- "[Joseph] begged the body of Jesus."
- "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' [...]"
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English beggen, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old English *becgian, *bedcian, syncopated forms of bedecian (“to beg”), itself of obscure origin. Possibly from Proto-West Germanic *bedukōn, a frequentative verb derived from Proto-West Germanic *bedu (“plea, petition, prayer”, whence English bead). Alternatively from Proto-West Germanic *bedagō (“petitioner, requester, beggar”), an agent noun from the same source. Compare North Frisian bēdagi (“to pray”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍅𐌰 (bidagwa, “beggar”). All ultimately from the root of English bid, which see for more. An alternative theory considers the verb a backformation from beggar and derives the latter from Old French begart (“kind of lay brother”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈbeɡ/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
beg button
beg for mercy
beg for one's life
beg for someone's life
beg it
beg leave
beg off
beg parding