ask
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Middle English asken (also esken, aschen, eschen, etc.), from Old English āscian, from Proto-Germanic *aiskōną (“to ask, ask for”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- (“to wish; request”).
VerbEdit
ask (third-person singular simple present asks, present participle asking, simple past and past participle asked)
- To request (information, or an answer to a question).
- I asked her age.
- To put forward (a question) to be answered.
- to ask a question
- To interrogate or enquire of (a person).
- I'm going to ask this lady for directions.
- Bible, John ix. 21
- He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
- To request or petition; usually with for.
- to ask for a second helping at dinner
- to ask for help with homework
- Bible, Matthew vii. 7
- Ask, and it shall be given you.
- To request permission to do something.
- She asked to see the doctor.
- Did you ask to use the car?
- To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity.
- What price are you asking for the house?
- (Can we date this quote by Addison and provide title, author's full name, and other details?)
- An exigence of state asks a much longer time to conduct a design to maturity.
- To invite.
- Don't ask them to the wedding.
- To publish in church for marriage; said of both the banns and the persons.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Fuller to this entry?)
- (figuratively) To take (a person's situation) as an example.
- 1990 April 26, Paul Wiseman, “Dark days”, in USA Today:
- Even when the damage isn't that clear cut, the intangible burdens of a bad image can add up. Just ask Dow Chemical.
Usage notesEdit
- This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
- Pronouncing ask as /æks/ is a common example of metathesis (attested since the Old English period) and still common in some varieties of English, notably African American Vernacular English (AAVE).
- The action expressed by the verb ask can also be expressed by the noun-verb combination pose a question.
HyponymsEdit
- beg, beseech, demand, enquire, entreat, frain, implore, interrogate, petition, prompt, query, question, request, solicit, supplicate
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
request an answer
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make a request
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NounEdit
ask (plural asks)
- An act or instance of asking.
- 2005, Laura Fredricks, The ask:
- To ask for a gift is a privilege, a wonderful expression of commitment to and ownership of the organization. Getting a yes to an ask can be a rush, but asking for the gift can and should be just as rewarding.
- 2005, Laura Fredricks, The ask:
- Something asked or asked for; a request.
- 2008, Doug Fields, Duffy Robbins, Speaking to Teenagers:
- Communication researchers call this the foot-in-the-door syndrome. Essentially it's based on the observation that people who respond positively to a small “ask” are more likely to respond to a bigger “ask” later on.
- 2008, Doug Fields, Duffy Robbins, Speaking to Teenagers:
- An asking price.
Etymology 2Edit
From Middle English aske, arske, from Old English āþexe (“lizard, newt”), from Proto-Germanic *agiþahsijǭ (“lizard”), a compound of *agiz (“snake, lizard”) + *þahsuz (“badger”).
Alternative formsEdit
NounEdit
ask (plural asks)
- (Britain dialectal and Scotland) An eft; newt.
- 1876, S. Smiles, Scottish Naturalist:
- He looked at the beast. It was not an eel. It was very like an ask.
- 1876, S. Smiles, Scottish Naturalist:
- (Britain dialectal) A lizard.
AnagramsEdit
DanishEdit
en ask – Fraxinus angustifolia
EtymologyEdit
From Old Norse askr, from Proto-Germanic *askaz.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ask c (singular definite asken, plural indefinite aske)
- common ash (tree, Fraxinus excelsior)
DeclensionEdit
Declension of ask
ReferencesEdit
- “ask” in Den Danske Ordbog
FaroeseEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- askur m
EtymologyEdit
From Old Norse askr, from Proto-Germanic *askaz, *askiz.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ask f (genitive singular askar, plural askir)
DeclensionEdit
| Declension of ask | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f2 | singular | plural | ||
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | ask | askin | askir | askirnar |
| accusative | ask | askina | askir | askirnar |
| dative | ask | askini | askum | askunum |
| genitive | askar | askarinnar | aska | askanna |
IcelandicEdit
NounEdit
ask
Norwegian BokmålEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old Norse askr, from Proto-Germanic *askaz.
NounEdit
ask m (definite singular asken, indefinite plural asker, definite plural askene)
ReferencesEdit
- “ask” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian NynorskEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old Norse askr, from Proto-Germanic *askaz. Akin to English ash.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ask m (definite singular asken, indefinite plural askar, definite plural askane)
ReferencesEdit
- “ask” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old SaxonEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Proto-Germanic *askaz, *askiz.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
ask m
DeclensionEdit
Declension of ask (masculine a-stem)
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | ask | askos |
| accusative | ask | askos |
| genitive | askes | askō |
| dative | aske | askum |
| instrumental | — | — |
DescendantsEdit
SwedishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old Swedish asker, from Old Norse askr, from Proto-Germanic *askaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ōs- (“ash”).
PronunciationEdit
audio (file)
NounEdit
ask c
- the European ash (tree) Fraxinus excelsior
- a small box
DeclensionEdit
| Declension of ask | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | ask | asken | askar | askarna |
| Genitive | asks | askens | askars | askarnas |
DescendantsEdit
- → Finnish: aski