beg (redirected from Begs the question)

(I) beg your pardon, but... and Begging your pardon, but...

Please excuse me, but. (A very polite and formal way of interrupting, bringing something to someone's attention, or asking a question of a stranger.) Rachel: Beg your pardon, but I think your right front tire is a little low. Henry: Well, I guess it is. Thank you. John: Begging your pardon, ma'am, but weren't we on the same cruise ship in Alaska last July? Rachel: Couldn't have been me.

See also: but

beg something from someone

to plead for something from someone. She begged the amount of a telephone call from someone who walked by. I begged a dollar from a kind lady who went by.

beg something of someone

to request earnestly that someone do something or grant something. Please help me. I beg it of you. She begged a favor of Max.

beg something off

to decline an invitation politely. She begged the trip to the zoo off. We all begged off the dinner invitation.

beg for someone or something

to plead to be given someone or something. He missed Jane a lot and was just begging for her to return to him. Jane begged for another helping of ice cream.

beg of someone

to request earnestly of someone. (Usually added to a request.) Please help me. I beg of you. I beg of you to help me.

beg off (on something)

to ask to be released from something; to refuse an invitation. I'm sorry, but I'll be out of town on the day of your party. I'll have to beg off on your invitation. I have an important meeting, so I'll have to beg off.

beg the question 

1. to carry on a false argument where one assumes as proved the very point that is being argued, or more loosely, to evade the issue at hand. (Essentially a criticism of someone's line of argument.) Stop arguing in circles. You're begging the question. A: Why do two lines that are equidistant from one another never meet? B: Because they are parallel. A: You are begging the question.

2. to invite the (following) question. (This reinterpretation of beg the question is incorrect but is currently in widespread use.) His complaints beg the question: Didn't he cause all of his problems himself?

See also: question

beg to differ (with someone)

Fig. to disagree with someone; to state one's disagreement with someone in a polite way. (Usually used in a statement made to the person being disagreed with.) I beg to differ with you, but you have stated everything exactly backwards. If I may beg to differ, you have not expressed my position as well as you seem to think.

See also: differ

go begging

Fig. to be left over, unwanted, or unused. (As if a thing were begging for an owner or a user.) There is still food left. A whole lobster is going begging. Please eat some more, There are many excellent books in the library just going begging because people don't know they are there.

I'll have to beg off.

Fig. a polite expression used to turn down an informal invitation. Andrew: Thank you for inviting me, but I'll have to beg off. I have a conflict. Henry: I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe some other time. Bill: Do you think you can come to the party? Bob: I'll have to beg off. I have another engagement. Bill: Maybe some other time.

See also: have

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be going begging

if something is going begging, it is available to be taken because no one else wants it There's a big box of apples going begging.

See also: going

beg the question 

1. if a statement or situation begs the question, it causes you to ask a particular question It's all very well talking about extra staff but it rather begs the question of how we're going to pay for them.

2. (formal) if something that someone says begs the question, it suggests that something is true which might in fact be false We're assuming, are we, that Anthony will still be in charge this time next year? That rather begs the question, doesn't it?

See also: question

I beg to differ/disagree  (formal)

a polite way of saying that you disagree with something that someone has said I beg to differ with Mr Stahl's final assertion.

See also: differ

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beg off

to excuse yourself from something I had the chance to spend the day at the beach, but I begged off, saying I had too much work on my desk.

beg the question

1. to cause a particular question to be asked Cyber adventurers can even climb a mountain, which begs the question of how can someone at a keyboard take a hike?

2. to fail to answer a particular question Everyone agrees we have to cut spending, but this proposal begs the question, What do we cut?

See also: question

beg to differ (with somebody) (slightly formal) also beg to disagree (with somebody)

to have a different opinion Some people think losing that game brought the team together, but I beg to differ - the team has always been together. Many believe our planet is in danger, but I beg to disagree - it's not our planet but human existence that's in danger.

See also: differ

go begging

to be available Good jobs still go begging in the health care and teaching fields.

pardon me also I beg your pardon

1. please repeat what you just said Pardon me - what did you say your name was?

2. I am sorry for what I just did Oh, I beg your pardon! I didn't see your foot there!

3. May I please have your attention? Pardon me, does this train go to Oakland?

4. I do not agree with what you just said Pardon me, but I think you've got it backwards.

Related vocabulary: excuse me

Usage notes: in all cases, I beg your pardon is more formal than pardon me

See also: pardon