Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - beg

~ v 1 I beg your pardon spoken a) used to say sorry when you have made a mistake, or said something wrong or embarrassing  (Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you meant next Tuesday.) b) used to show that you strongly disagree with something that someone has said, or think it is unacceptable  ("Chicago's an awful place." "I beg your pardon, that's where I'm from!") c) used to ask someone to repeat what they have just said  ("The meeting's on Wednesday." "I beg your pardon." "I said the meeting's on Wednesday.") 2 »ASK« to ask for something in an anxious or urgent way, because you want it very much  (She begged and pleaded with them until they finally gave in. | beg (sb) to do sth)  (The children begged to come with us. | I begged Helen to stay but she wouldn't listen. | beg (sb) for sth)  (I'm begging you for help, Greg. | beg forgiveness/a favour/mercy etc)  (Can I beg a favour? | beg leave to do sth formal (=ask permission to do something)) 3 »MONEY/FOOD« to ask people to give you food, money etc because you are very poor  (a begging letter | beg from sb)  (a ragged child begging from passing shoppers | beg (for) sth)  (They were reduced to begging food in the streets. | beg sth off sb spoken)  (Can I beg a cigarette off you?) 4 I beg to differ spoken formal to say firmly that you do not agree with something that has been said  (I must beg to differ on this point.) 5 beg the question to discuss something in a way that makes it seem that a fact is definitely true when in fact it may not be  (This planning proposal begs the question whether we need more sports facilities at all.) 6 be going begging spoken if something is going begging, it is available for anyone who wants it  (There's a bottle of wine going begging if anyone's interested.) 7 »DOG« if a dog begs, it sits up with its front legs off the ground beg off ~ phr v to say that you cannot do something that you had agreed to do  (I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to beg off from the game tonight.)