ask

ask [ask, äsk]

vt.

[ME askien < OE āscian < IE base * ais-, to wish, desire > Sans iccháti, (he) seeks, OHG eiscōn, inquire, demand]

1. to use words in seeking the answer to (a question); try to find out about by inquiring

2. to put a question to (a person); inquire of

3. to request; solicit; beg

4. to demand or expect as a price [they ask ten dollars for it]

5. to be in need of or call for (a thing)

6. to invite

vi.

1. to request information [why do you ask?]

2. to make a request (for)

3. to inquire (about, after, or for)

4. to behave in such a way that one appears to be looking (for trouble, punishment, etc.)

asking

n.

asker

n.

SYN.- ASK and the more formal INQUIRE and QUERY usually denote no more than the seeking of an answer or information, but QUERY also often implies doubt as to the correctness of something [the printer queried the spelling of several words ]; QUESTION and INTERROGATE imply the asking of a series of questions [to question a witness ], INTERROGATE adding the further implication of systematic examination [to interrogate a prisoner of war ]; CATECHIZE is equivalent to INTERROGATE but implies the expectation of certain fixed answers, esp. with reference to religious doctrine; QUIZ, used esp. in schools, implies a short, selective questioning to test factual knowledge of some subject

-ANT. ANSWER, TELL¹