# beg

/ˈbɛɡ/ (US) · /bˈɛɡ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/beg
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to ask for money/food

verb · CEFR B1

to ask people for money or food because you are very poor.

For teachers: to solicit charity, typically in a public place, due to lack of resources.

- He saw a man begging for spare change outside the train station.
- Despite the city's wealth, many people are still forced to beg for food in the shadows of the financial district.

### 2. to plead urgently

verb · CEFR B1

to ask for something in a very strong, emotional way.

For teachers: to entreat or plead with someone for a favour, mercy, or help. Often used with a direct object of the person being asked.

- The children begged their parents to let them stay up late.
- The prisoner begged for mercy, but the judge remained unmoved by his emotional testimony.

### 4. to lack something

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to clearly need or lack something important.

For teachers: to be in obvious need of something; often used in the phrase 'begs description' or 'begs belief'.

- The beauty of the mountain sunrise almost begs description.
- The sheer scale of the destruction begs belief, leaving even the most experienced rescue workers in a state of shock.

## Examples

- He had to beg for some spare change to buy a sandwich.
- The prisoner began to beg for mercy as the judge prepared to announce the final sentence.
- Despite his pride, the fallen aristocrat was forced to beg his former rivals for a loan to save his family estate from being seized by the bank.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.