English Dictionary

Definition of “ask”

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ask (ɑːskPronunciation for ask) 

Definitions

verb

  1. (often foll by about) to put a question (to); request an answer (from)  ⇒ she asked (him) about God 
  2. (tr) to inquire about  ⇒ she asked him the time of the train she asked the way 
  3. (tr) to direct or put (a question)
  4. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) for to make a request or demand  ⇒ she asked (him) for information they asked for a deposit 
  5. (tr) to demand or expect (esp in the phrases ask a lot of, ask too much of)
  6. ask outask over(tr) to request (a person) politely to come or go to a place; invite  ⇒ he asked her to the party 
  7. (tr) to need; require  ⇒ the job asks both time and patience 
  8. (tr) archaic to proclaim (marriage banns)

noun

  1. See a big ask

See also

ask after , ask for

Alternative Forms

ˈasker noun

Word Origin

Old English āscian;  related to Old Frisian āskia,  Old Saxon ēscon,  Old High German eiscōn

Ask (ɑːskPronunciation for Ask) 

Definitions

noun

  1. Norse mythology the first man, created by the gods from an ash tree

Translations

  • British English: ask Pronunciation for ask If you ask someone a question, you say that you want to know something.I asked him what his name was.ɑːsk VERB I asked him what his name was.
  • Spanish: preguntar Pronunciation for preguntar v
  • French: demander Pronunciation for demander v
  • German: fragen Pronunciation for fragen v
  • Chinese: 询问Pronunciation for 询问 v
  • Arabic: يَسْأَلُPronunciation for يَسْأَلُ vt
  • Portuguese: perguntarPronunciation for perguntar v
  • Russian: спрашиватьPronunciation for спрашивать v
  • Croatian: pitatiPronunciation for pitati v
  • Czech: zeptat (se)Pronunciation for zeptat (se) v ptát (se)
  • Danish: spørgePronunciation for spørge v
  • Dutch: vragenPronunciation for vragen v
  • Finnish: kysyäPronunciation for kysyä v
  • Greek: ρωτώPronunciation for ρωτώ v
  • Italian: chiederePronunciation for chiedere v
  • Japanese: 尋ねるPronunciation for 尋ねる v
  • Korean: 묻다Pronunciation for 묻다 v
  • Norwegian: spørrePronunciation for spørre v
  • Polish: zapytaćPronunciation for zapytać v pytać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: perguntarPronunciation for perguntar v
  • European Spanish: preguntar Pronunciation for preguntar v
  • Swedish: frågaPronunciation for fråga v
  • Thai: ถามPronunciation for ถาม v
  • Turkish: sormakPronunciation for sormak v
  • Vietnamese: hỏiPronunciation for hỏi v

Usage examples

  • Walter, she checked into that hotel alone - don't ask me why, I can't explain it.
    Jon Cleary, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)
  • You can ask for a free subway map at the token booth of any subway station.
    Country Life (2005)
  • It seems extraordinary that someone being contacted in relation to Anne Naughton would not at least ask who she was.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • I am talking about how people don't ask married people questions that they ask single parents.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • Instead, I have told the story of what happened in the hope that, if necessary, others might ask questions.
    Rob Mundle, FATAL STORM (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'A'

Related Terms

3 results

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