ask
/ɑ:sk/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To put a question to someone, seeking information or an answer: The core meaning involves speaking or writing to inquire about something.
- To make a request; to express a desire for something from someone: This involves seeking to obtain something, such as permission, help, or an object.
- To invite someone: To request someone's presence at an event or gathering.
- To state a required price for something: To state the amount of money one wants in exchange for a good or service.
- To require as necessary or appropriate: To have a need for a particular quality, action, or thing.
Usage Examples
- Verb (To inquire):
- I need to ask a question about the homework.
- She asked about the meeting time.
- Verb (To request):
- He asked for a glass of water.
- They asked me to help them move the furniture.
- Verb (To invite):
- We asked our neighbors to the party.
- Verb (To state a price):
- The seller is asking $15,000 for the car.
- Verb (To require):
- This difficult task asks for great patience.
- The recipe asks for three eggs.
Advanced Usage
- "Ask for it" (idiom): To behave in a way that is likely to result in trouble or a negative reaction.
- Driving that fast in the rain is just asking for it.
- "Ask after someone": To inquire about someone's health or well-being.
- John asked after you when I saw him yesterday.
- "Ask around": To ask several people in order to get information.
- If you're looking for a good mechanic, you should ask around.
Variants and Related Words
- Asker (noun): One who asks.
- Asking (noun/gerund): The act of posing a question or making a request.
- It was a simple asking.
- Unasked (adjective): Not asked for or requested.
- She offered unasked advice.
Synonyms
- Inquire: To seek information by questioning.
- Request: To politely or formally ask for something.
- Query: To ask a question, especially to resolve a doubt.
- Solicit: To ask for or try to obtain something from someone.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Ask out: To invite someone on a date.
- He finally asked her out to dinner.
- Ask over/round: To invite someone to one's home.
- We asked a few friends over for the game.
- Ask back: To invite someone in return.
- They asked us back for lunch the following week.
Related Idioms
- A big ask: A very difficult request or demand.
- Finishing the project in one day is a big ask.
- Ask me another: Used to say you do not know the answer to a question.
- "Where did he go?" "Ask me another!"
- If you ask me: Used to give an opinion that was not specifically requested.
- If you ask me, the plan is too risky.
Verb
- require or ask for as a price or condition
- He is asking $200 for the table
- The kidnappers are asking a million dollars in return for the release of their hostage
- require as useful, just, or proper
- 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
- This intervention does not postulate a patient's consent
- address a question to and expect an answer from
- Ask your teacher about trigonometry
- The children asked me about their dead grandmother
- consider obligatory; 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
- direct or put; seek an answer to
- ask a question
- make a request or demand for something to somebody
- She asked him for a loan
- inquire about
- I asked about their special today
- He had to ask directions several times