ask
[ ask, ahsk ]
/ æsk, ɑsk /
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to make inquiry; inquire: to ask about a person.
to request or petition (usually followed by for): to ask for leniency; to ask for food.
Idioms for ask
ask for it,
to risk or invite trouble, danger, punishment, etc., by persisting in some action or manner: He was asking for it by his abusive remarks.
Origin of ask
before 900; Middle English
asken,
axen, Old English
āscian, āxian; cognate with Old Frisian
āskia, Old Saxon
ēscon, Old High German
eiscōn (German
heischen), Sanskrit
icchati (he) seeks
SYNONYMS FOR ask
OTHER WORDS FROM ask
ask·er, noun un·ask·ing, adjective un·ask·ing·ly, adverbWords nearby ask
British Dictionary definitions for ask for (1 of 3)
ask for
verb (preposition)
to try to obtain by requesting
he asked for help
(intr) informal
to behave in a provocative manner that is regarded as inviting (trouble)
she's asking for trouble; you're asking for it
Scot
to ask after
tell your parents I'm asking for them
British Dictionary definitions for ask for (2 of 3)
ask
/ (ɑːsk) /
verb
noun
a big ask or a tough ask British, Australian and NZ informal
a task which is difficult to fulfil
Derived forms of ask
asker, nounWord Origin for ask
Old English
āscian; related to Old Frisian
āskia, Old Saxon
ēscon, Old High German
eiscōn
British Dictionary definitions for ask for (3 of 3)
Ask
/ (ɑːsk) /
noun
Norse myth
the first man, created by the gods from an ash tree
Idioms and Phrases with ask for (1 of 2)
ask for
Also, ask for it. To persist in an action despite the likelihood that it will bring trouble on oneself, as in Speeding as much as he does, he has been asking for a ticket and Mary deserved that low grade; in effect, she asked for it by not studying. [c. 1900] Also see ask for the moon.
Idioms and Phrases with ask for (2 of 2)
ask