Meaning of ask in English

Table of contents

Verb
ask
Etymology
Old English āscian, āhsian, āxian, of West Germanic origin
Definitions
1. inquire about
Examples
- « I asked about their special today »
- « He had to ask directions several times »
Derived terms
2. make a request or demand for something to somebody
Examples
- « She asked him for a loan »
3. direct or put
Examples
- « seek an answer to »
- « ask a question »
Derived terms
4. consider obligatory
Examples
- « request and expect »
- « We require our secretary to be on time »
- « Aren't we asking too much of these children? »
- « I expect my students to arrive in time for their lessons »
Derived terms
5. require or ask for as a price or condition
Examples
- « He is asking $200 for the table »
- « The kidnapers are asking a million dollars in return for the release of their hostage »
6. address a question to and expect an answer from
Examples
- « Ask your teacher about trigonometry »
- « The children asked me about their dead grandmother »
Derived terms
7. require as useful, just, or proper
Examples
- « It takes nerve to do what she did »
- « success usually requires hard work »
- « This job asks a lot of patience and skill »
- « This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice »
- « This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert; »
Antonyms
Derived terms

Famous quotes

« 'American Horror' goes for a very specific kind of Seventies suburban downer ambience - 'Flowers in the Attic' paperbacks, Black Sabbath album covers and late-night flicks like 'Let's Scare Jessica to Death.' It even has 'Go Ask Alice'-era urban legends. »
Rob Sheffield
« Experience teaches us that we do not always receive the blessings we ask for in prayer. »
Mary Baker Eddy
« People always ask me if I could live in any other era what would it be, and I tell them none! I feel so lucky to live in an age where technology has changed and continues to change and make life so much more exciting. It keeps everyone young and constantly learning new things. »
Nina Garcia
« A Nicklaus Design golf course is done by the guys in my company that I work with, that have been trained in my vision, and they do what they think I might do. They might come in the office and ask me questions and I'd certainly answer their questions, but I'm not involved in the site visits or anything else. »
Jack Nicklaus
« I had a million questions to ask God: but when I met Him, they all fled my mind and it didn't seem to matter. »
Christopher Morley