{
    "term": "ask",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "ask",
            "heSheIt": "asks"
        },
        "pastSimple": "asked",
        "pastParticiple": "asked",
        "ingForm": "asking"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to say or write something in the form of a question, in order to get information",
            "sensetop": "ask about somebody/somethingask something+ speechask somebody + speechask somebody somethingask somebody about somethingask where, what, etc…ask somebody where, what, etc…",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "How old are you—if you don’t **mind me/my asking**?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He asked about her family.",
                    "contextForm": "ask about somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Can I **ask a question**?",
                    "contextForm": "ask something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Did you ask the price?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You do what I tell you to, **no questions asked**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There are three important questions to ask."
                },
                {
                    "text": "frequently asked questions"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Where are you going?’ she asked.",
                    "contextForm": "+ speech"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Are you sure?’ he asked her.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody + speech"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She asked the students their names.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I often **get asked** that!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had to ask myself some very difficult questions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'd like to ask you a few questions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The interviewer asked me about my future plans.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody about something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "When specifically **asked about the report**, she indicated she had not read it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He asked where I lived.",
                    "contextForm": "ask where, what, etc…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had to ask the teacher what to do next.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody where, what, etc…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I was asked if/whether I could drive."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I wondered how old she was but I didn't dare ask."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Do you still want to go out tonight?’ she asked hopefully."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘How do you feel?’ she asked softly."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Oh, Sue went too, did she?’ I asked innocently."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Will he be all right?’ Sabrina asked anxiously."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I wanted to ask him a question."
                },
                {
                    "text": "May I ask what you mean by that?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Voters can legitimately ask whose interests are being served by the new legislation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She longed to ask Mary if she knew what was wrong."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["gently", "quietly", "softly"],
                "verb + ask": ["want to", "dare (to)", "forget to"],
                "preposition": ["about"],
                "phrases": [
                    "get asked something",
                    "if you don’t mind me asking",
                    "if you don’t mind my asking"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to tell somebody that you would like them to do something or that you would like something to happen",
            "sensetop": "ask somebody to do somethingask whether, what, etc…ask somebody whether, what, etc…ask that…",
            "labels": "(formal)(British English also)(informal or North American English)",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Anyone with information is **asked to contact** the police.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Parents with young children are asked to attend this meeting."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were politely asked to leave the shop."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Eric asked me to marry him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "All the students were asked to complete a questionnaire."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I asked whether they could change my ticket.",
                    "contextForm": "ask whether, what, etc…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She asked me if I would give her English lessons.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody whether, what, etc…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She asked that she be kept informed of developments.",
                    "contextForm": "ask that…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She asked that she should be kept informed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "If you ask her nicely, she'll give you a hand."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["nicely", "specifically"],
                "preposition": ["for"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to say that you would like somebody to give you something",
            "sensetop": "ask for somethingask somethingask somebody for somethingask something of somebodyask somebody something",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Don't be afraid to **ask for help**.",
                    "contextForm": "ask for something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I am writing to ask for some information about courses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to ask for a job/a drink/an explanation"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Did your friend ask for permission to use the image?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why don't you ask his advice?",
                    "contextForm": "ask something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why don't you ask him for his advice?",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody for something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Can I ask a favour of you?",
                    "contextForm": "ask something of somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Can I ask you a favour?",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm not asking for money."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I went up to the counter and asked for a lemonade."
                },
                {
                    "text": "If you want anything, just ask."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why don't you ask your teacher for some of her thoughts on the matter?"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["nicely", "specifically"],
                "preposition": ["for"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to request permission to do something",
            "sensetop": "ask to do somethingask if, whether, etc…ask somebody if, whether, etc…",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I immediately asked to speak to a supervisor.",
                    "contextForm": "ask to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I asked to see the manager."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Did you ask to use the car?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'll ask if it's all right to park here.",
                    "contextForm": "ask if, whether, etc…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She asked her boss whether she could have the day off.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody if, whether, etc…"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["nicely", "specifically"],
                "preposition": ["for"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to invite somebody",
            "sensetop": "ask somebody + adv./prep.ask somebodyask somebody to do something",
            "labels": "(informal or North American English)(British English)(North American English)",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They've asked me to dinner.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody + adv./prep."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Thank you so much for asking me.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I didn't ask them in *(= to come into the house)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We must ask the neighbours round *(= to our house)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's asked him to come to the party.",
                    "contextForm": "ask somebody to do something"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to request a particular amount of money for something that you are selling",
            "sensetop": "ask something (for something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**He's asking** £2 000 for the car."
                },
                {
                    "text": "How much **were they asking** for their house?"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to expect or demand something",
            "sensetop": "ask somethingask something of somebodyask something to do something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I know I'm asking a great deal.",
                    "contextForm": "ask something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You're asking too much of him.",
                    "contextForm": "ask something of somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I know it's asking a lot to expect them to win again.",
                    "contextForm": "ask something to do something"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to deserve something bad that happens to you or that somebody does to you",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘You shouldn’t have said that to her.’ ‘Well, she asked for it!’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to behave in a way that is very likely to result in trouble",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He was asking for trouble when he insulted their country."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "if you say don’t ask to somebody, you mean that you do not want to reply to their question, because it would be difficult to explain, embarrassing, etc.",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘And what did he do then?’ ‘Don’t ask!’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "if you say don’t ask me, you mean that you do not know the answer to a question and are annoyed you have been asked",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘What will the meeting be about?’ ‘Don’t ask me.’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "if you can have something for the asking, it is very easy for you to get it if you ask for it",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The job is yours for the asking."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "if you say I ask you, you are expressing shock, anger or a strong feeling of dislike about something/somebody",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He told me I had to work late on Friday night. I ask you!"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "in my personal opinion",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Their marriage was a mistake, if you ask me."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɑːsk/",
                "audio": "as/ask/ask__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɑːsks/",
                "audio": "as/ask/asks__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɑːskt/",
                "audio": "as/ask/asked__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈɑːskɪŋ/",
                "audio": "as/ask/asking__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/æsk/",
                "audio": "as/ask/ask__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/æsks/",
                "audio": "as/ask/asks__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/æskt/",
                "audio": "as/ask/asked__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈæskɪŋ/",
                "audio": "as/ask/asking__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English āscian, āhsian, āxian, of West Germanic origin."
}