ask

ask [ æsk ] verb ***

—> 1 try to get information

—> 2 tell someone you want something

—> 3 expect something

—> 4 say you want something done

—> 5 invite someone to do something

—>+ PHRASES

1. ) intransitive or transitive to speak or write to someone in order to get information from them:

I wondered who had given her the ring but was afraid to ask.

ask (someone) why/how/whether etc.: She asked me how I knew about it.

ask (someone) about something: Did you ask about the money?

ask someone a question: The police wanted to ask us a few questions.

ask yourself something (=consider it carefully): He ought to ask himself why nobody ever invites him.

2. ) intransitive or transitive to speak or write to someone because you want them to give you something:

If you need any help, just ask.

ask (someone) for something: The children were asking for drinks.

ask someone’s permission/advice/opinion etc.: I think we’d better ask your mom’s opinion first.

ask someone a favor: Can I ask you a favor? Would you look after the children for an hour?

3. ) intransitive or transitive to expect someone to do something or give you something:

ask something (for something): It’s a nice house, but they’re asking over half a million dollars.

ask a lot/too much: It’s asking a lot of teenagers to expect them to see what’s wrong with consumerism.

All I want is five minutes’ peace and quiet: is that asking too much?

ask someone (not) to do something: We ask guests not to smoke in the hotel.

a ) ask someone to believe something INFORMAL used about things that are difficult to believe because they seem false or wrong:

Are you seriously asking me to believe that you knew nothing about this?

4. ) intransitive or transitive to say that you want something to happen, or that you want someone else to do something:

ask someone (not) to do something: Then the computer will ask you to restart it.

He asked us to join him.

ask to do something: I asked to see the manager.

ask (not) to be: The writer has asked not to be named.

ask that someone (should) do something: The committee has asked that this project be stopped for now.

5. ) transitive to invite someone to do something or go somewhere with you:

ask someone to something: How many people have you asked to the party?

ask someone for something: We should ask them for a meal sometime.

ask someone over (=to your house): The neighbors have asked us over for a drink.

ask someone in (=ask someone to come into your house, room, office, etc.): We stood on the doorstep for ages before he asked us in.

ask someone to do something: They asked me to stay the night.

don’t ask SPOKEN

used for telling someone that you do not want to talk about something because it was not good, pleasant, enjoyable, etc.

don’t ask me SPOKEN

used for telling someone that you do not know the answer to their question when you are annoyed or surprised that they have asked you

for the asking

available if you ask for it:

There are sales jobs for the asking.

I ask you SPOKEN

used for emphasizing that you think something is silly or shocking:

He arrived over an hour late for the meeting – I ask you!

if you ask me SPOKEN

used before you give someone your opinion about something:

If you ask me, she doesn’t really want the job.

may/might I ask SPOKEN

used for showing that you are angry about something that has happened, but want to ask about it politely:

Might I ask what you are doing with my wallet?

who asked you? SPOKEN

used as a rude way of telling someone that their opinion is not important

you may/might well ask SPOKEN

used for showing that you think someone’s question is difficult to answer

`ask ,after phrasal verb transitive

ask after someone to ask for news about someone:

I met Bob and he asked after you.

,ask a`round phrasal verb intransitive

to ask several people for information or advice:

I asked around, but nobody had seen him for days.

`ask for phrasal verb transitive

1. ) ask for something to speak or write to someone because you want them to give you something:

He’s always reluctant to ask for anyone’s help.

2. ) ask for someone to say that you want someone to come and speak to you:

There’s someone in the store asking for the manager.

be asking for something

to behave in a way that makes it likely that a particular unpleasant thing will happen to you:

She’s asking for trouble speaking to people like that.

be asking for it: Anyone who drives while they’re drunk is just asking for it.

,ask `out phrasal verb transitive

ask someone out to invite someone to go with you to a movie, theater, restaurant, etc. because you want to start a romantic or sexual relationship with them:

Finally he asked her out.