Ask (&?;), n. [See 2d Asker.]
(Zoöl.) A water newt. [Scot. & North of Eng.]
Ask , v. i. 1. To
request or petition; -- usually followed by
for; as, to ask for bread.
Ask, and it shall be given you.
Matt. vii. 7.
2.
To make inquiry, or seek by request; -- sometimes
followed by after.
Wherefore . . . dost ask after my name?
Gen. xxxii. 29.
Ask (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Asked (&?;);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Asking.]
[OE. asken, ashen, axien, AS.
āscian, ācsian; akin to OS. ēscōn, OHG. eiscōn, Sw.
āska, Dan. æske, D. eischen, G. heischen, Lith. jëskóti, OSlav. iskati to seek, Skr. ish to desire. √5.] 1. To request; to seek to obtain by words; to petition; to solicit; -- often with of, in the sense of from, before the person addressed.
Ask counsel, we pray thee, of
God.
Judg. xviii. 5.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye
will, and it
shall be done unto you.
John xv.
7.
2. To
require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as
a matter of
necessity; as, what price do
you ask?
Ask me never so much
dowry.
Gen. xxxiv.
12.
To whom men have
committed much, of him they will
ask the more.
Luke xii.
48.
An exigence of state asks a much longer time to conduct a design to maturity.
Addison.
3. To interrogate or inquire of or
concerning; to put a question to or about; to question.
He is of age; ask him: he shall
speak for himself.
John ix.
21.
He asked
the way to
Chester.
Shak.
4. To invite; as,
to ask one to an entertainment.
5.
To publish in church for
marriage; -- said of both the banns and the
persons. Fuller.
Syn. -- To beg; request; seek; petition; solicit; entreat; beseech; implore; crave; require; demand; claim; exhibit; inquire; interrogate. See Beg.
Hear it pronounced