asking

Study(23)

/ˈæskɪŋ/

noun 3adj 1

Collocations

ADJ.

afraid, impossible, loving, mute, other, own, possible, silent

I was afraid of asking him about the money I'd lent him months ago.

VERB + ASKING

honor, know, look, mouth, price, stop, think, worth

She stopped asking questions after he refused to answer the first time.

ASKING + NOUN

i'm, man's, paul, pip, speech, way, yourself

I'm asking Paul to help me move the furniture this weekend.

PREP.

after, in, with, with, without

He got the job without asking for a raise or any special benefits.

ADV.

finally

She finally asked him about his plans for the weekend.

Definitions

adj

That asks; that expresses a question or request.

It was as when some great gentle dog brings in a limp and bedraggled prize dug from the yard and, laying it at one’s feet, looks up at one with soft asking eyes.

[…] all of them looked at each other in an asking way.

noun

The act or process of posing a question or making a request.

His asking was greeted with silence.

The large eyes sought his own, as if asking for help, and yet unable to do more than look their mute asking.

A request, or petition.

After many askings, pleadings, and episodes, all leading to nothing, she finally slumped down at the side of a well in a village where she was unknown.

The marriage banns.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — the verbal act of requesting

request

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

for the asking

Available for someone to have something just by asking for it, i.e., without any significant effort or outlay; freely.

All you have to do is go to the interview. The job is yours for the asking.

asking for a friend

Indicates that a question is embarrassing by pretending to be posing the question on behalf of another person.

“Oh, please, like we'd ever believe that whole 'I'm asking for a friend' routine.”

Example Bank

It was as when some great gentle dog brings in a limp and bedraggled prize dug from the yard and, laying it at one’s feet, looks up at one with soft asking eyes.

Wiktionary

[…] all of them looked at each other in an asking way.

Wiktionary

He stepped to me while taking purchase on the handrail and looked through me with an asking look; finally he added with a sardonic smile. "I know now that you feel; hatred coming from deep."

Wiktionary

His asking was greeted with silence.

Wiktionary

The large eyes sought his own, as if asking for help, and yet unable to do more than look their mute asking.

Wiktionary

Form's silent asking, man's loving speech, the mute proclamation of the creature, are all gates leading into the presence of the Word.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, asking is marked as rare. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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