2 VERB If you ask someone to do something, you tell them that you want them to do it. □ [V n to-inf] We had to ask him to leave.
3 VERB If you ask to do something, you tell someone that you want to do it. □ [V to-inf] I asked to see the Director.
4 VERB If you ask for something, you say that you would like it. □ [V + for ] I decided to go to the next house and ask for food.
5 VERB If you ask for someone, you say that you would like to speak to them. □ [V + for ] There's a man at the gate asking for you.
6 VERB If you ask someone's permission, opinion, or forgiveness, you try to obtain it by putting a request to them. □ [V n] Please ask permission from whoever pays the phone bill before making your call.
7 VERB If you ask someone to an event or place, you invite them to go there. □ [V n + to ] Couldn't you ask Jon to the party? □ [V n adv] She asked me back to her house. [Also V n + for ]
8 VERB If someone is asking a particular price for something, they are selling it for that price. □ [V n + for ] Mr Pantelaras was asking £6,000 for his collection. [Also V n]
9 CONVENTION You reply ' don't ask me ' when you do not know the answer to a question, usually when you are annoyed or surprised that you have been asked. [FEELINGS ] □ 'She's got other things on her mind, wouldn't you think?' 'Don't ask me,' murmured Chris. 'I've never met her.'
10 PHRASE You can say ' may I ask ' as a formal way of asking a question, which shows you are annoyed or suspicious about something. [FEELINGS ] □ May I ask where you're going, sir?
11 PHRASE You can say ' if you ask me ' to emphasize that you are stating your personal opinion. [EMPHASIS ] □ He was nuts, if you ask me.
12 PHRASE If you say that someone is asking for trouble or is asking for it , you mean that they are behaving in a way that makes it very likely that they will get into trouble. □ To go ahead with the match after such clear advice had been asking for trouble.
▸ ask after PHRASAL VERB If someone asks after you, they ask someone how you are. □ [V P n] I had a letter from Jane. She asks after you.
▸ ask around in BRIT, also use ask round PHRASAL VERB If you ask around or ask round , you ask several people a question. □ [V P ] Ask around to see what others living in your area think about their doctors. SYNONYMS ask VERB
1
inquire: I rang up to inquire about train times.
question: This led the therapist to question Jim about his parents and their marriage.
query: One of the journalists queried whether sabotage could have been involved.
2
request: Mr Dennis said he had requested access to a telephone.
demand: The hijackers are demanding to speak to representatives of both governments.
plead: He was kneeling on the floor pleading for mercy.
beg: I begged to be allowed to leave.
askance /əskæ ns/
1 PHRASE If you look askance at someone or something, you have a doubtful or suspicious attitude towards them. □ They have always looked askance at the western notion of democracy.
2 PHRASE If you look askance at someone, you look at them in a doubtful or suspicious way.
askew /əskjuː / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Something that is askew is not straight or not level with what it should be level with. □ There were no shutters at the windows, and some of the doors hung askew.
a sk|ing price (asking prices ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The asking price of something is the price which the person selling it says that they want for it, although they may accept less. □ Offers 15% below the asking price are unlikely to be accepted.
asleep /əsliː p/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is asleep is sleeping. □ My four-year-old daughter was asleep on the sofa.
2 PHRASE When you fall asleep , you start sleeping. □ Sam snuggled down in his pillow and fell asleep.
3 PHRASE Someone who is fast asleep or sound asleep is sleeping deeply. USAGE asleep
Don’t use asleep
in front of a noun. Don’t, for example, talk about an ‘
as|para|gus /əspæ rəgəs/ N‑UNCOUNT Asparagus is a vegetable that is long and green and has small shoots at one end. It is cooked and served whole.
as|pect ◆◆◇ /æ spekt/ (aspects )
1 N‑COUNT An aspect of something is one of the parts of its character or nature. □ [+ of ] Climate and weather affect every aspect of our lives. □ [+ of ] He was interested in all aspects of the work here.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The aspect of a building or window is the direction in which it faces. [FORMAL ] □ The house had a south-west aspect.
3 N‑UNCOUNT In grammar, aspect is the way that a verb group shows whether an activity is continuing, is repeated, or is completed. For example, in 'They were laughing', the verb is in the progressive aspect and shows that the action was continuing. Compare tense . SYNONYMS aspect NOUN 1