I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
ask a doctor ( also consult a doctor formal )
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If you have any of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor.
ask for a discount
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I asked for a discount because the vase was slightly damaged.
ask for advice
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If in doubt, always ask for advice.
ask for details
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I went into the bank to ask for details about their student account.
ask for mercy
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The only thing I can do now is ask for mercy.
ask (for) permission ( also request permission formal )
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Tommy asked for permission to go to the bathroom.
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Captain Miller requested permission to land.
ask for sb’s hand in marriage old-fashioned (= ask someone to marry you, or ask their parents for permission to marry )
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He asked my father for my hand in marriage.
ask for/appeal for aid
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The Chinese authorities have asked for aid to help the earthquake victims.
ask for/apply for a loan
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He asked his father for a loan.
ask for/demand an explanation
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When I asked for an explanation, the people at the office said they didn't know.
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Furious parents are demanding an explanation from the school.
ask for/request assistance
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Police are at the scene and have requested assistance.
ask sb a favour ( also ask a favour of sb formal )
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I felt nervous about asking Stephen a favour.
ask (sb) a question
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Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
ask (sb) for a divorce
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She asked her husband for a divorce after he had been unfaithful.
ask (sb) for directions
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Let's stop and ask someone for directions.
ask (sb) for help
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He asked for help with the cleaning.
ask sb (for) their opinion ( also ask for sb’s opinion )
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We asked people for their opinions about the Olympics.
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Nobody asked my opinion.
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It’s a good idea to ask people for their opinions and suggestions.
ask sb the way
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He asked me the way to the police station.
ask sb’s advice
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Can I ask your advice about something?
ask/beg/pray etc for (sb’s) forgiveness
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He never admitted his guilt or asked for forgiveness.
asked...outright
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If she asked me outright , I’d tell her.
asking price
ask/invite sb to dinner
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Let's ask Kate and Mike to dinner.
ask/say your age (= ask or say how old you are )
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It’s rude to ask a woman her age.
ask/tell sb flat out
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She asked him flat out if he was seeing another woman.
attempt/do/ask etc the impossible
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I just want to be able to buy healthy food at a reasonable price. Is that asking the impossible?
be asking for trouble (= be silly or dangerous )
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It 's asking for trouble to wear high-heeled shoes on a long walk.
forgive me for asking/saying etc sth ( also forgive my asking/saying etc )
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Forgive me for saying so , but that’s nonsense.
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Forgive my phoning you so late.
may well ask
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‘What’s all the noise?’ ‘You may well ask .’
might well ask
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‘What do they hope to achieve?’ ‘You might well ask .’
say/add/ask etc pointedly
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‘I thought you were leaving,’ she said pointedly.
seek/ask for clarification
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I asked for clarification on the legal position.
the asking price (= the amount of money that someone is asking for when they are selling something, especially a house )
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The property is worth more than the asking price.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
for
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An old-fashioned paper book for Ben - one he had specifically asked for - on sensory deprivation.
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Method 2 Make a separate list of your own of the words children ask for while they are writing.
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Whatever was asked for , the air trafficker had not replied.
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To ask for things like that was totally beyond what an experienced person would ask for.
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All she is asking for , she says, is to live the same kind of life as everyone else.
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They will not inquire into the adequacy of the consideration he has asked for and received.
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It was such a big place and nobody seemed to know the whereabouts of the junior physician she was asking for .
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Don't ask for too much, Andrew.
how
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The carers were asked how they felt about these problems, and whether any were difficult to cope with.
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After I was shaved, I asked how much it would cost.
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I would accept this for the moment, without asking how each unit does its own particular thing.
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The next day at work, Arthur called to ask how I was doing.
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He's asked how he feels.
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Rosewater greeted her with melodious warmth, asked how she was today.
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Marek asked how much progress she had made in her murder investigation.
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First, let's ask how much money Lake County schools spend per pupil on education.
why
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I ask why she thinks it is so much better for people to wear clothes.
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It seems germane, although not particularly gracious, to ask why Huckelberry didn't try to preserve the entire ranch.
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Pennethorne immediately complained to Hall, asking why he had lost the work.
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There was no point asking why they did not use the local veterinary clinics.
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It may be asked why psychiatry has made such heavy weather of coming round to that view.
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When asked why politicians repeat their names over and over, he shrugs his shoulders in helpless reply.
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The question could well be asked why jadeite lost its symbolic role during the Bronze Age.
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Luce was about to ask why , when she noticed a set of traffic-lights.
■ NOUN
advice
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If you have an existing bedframe, always ask for advice , as the wrong combination may cause damage to the mattress.
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They asked me for advice about going into the world.&038;.
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One girl stopped the others to ask advice about how to write down the ghostly sound of a door opening.
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But I was the one asking for advice .
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A number of readers have asked for more advice on entries that cover matches in pairs and trios.
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And she did not permit Susan to ask what the advice might be.
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You may well be asked for your advice .
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I called Professor Sano, our former department head, and asked his advice .
permission
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Not until Monday this week did the party ask his permission to make the donation public.
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That year, when I was four, I asked permission to escape the suffocating confines of our darkened apartment.
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Had it been a different matter I would of course have asked your permission .
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Race organizers had asked permission of the various countries whose airspace could be involved.
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She says she didn't feel under any obligation to ask his permission .
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They expect me to ask their permission to go back home.
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If so, ask for the planning permission .
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When I was transferred to another engineering division, I asked special permission for that sergeant to go with me.
question
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As each question is asked each team goes into a huddle and then writes down its answer.
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A man approached him at the automotive flea market, offering $ 5, 000 in cash, no questions asked .
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First, the questions asked in the surveys related to behaviour over different time periods.
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A weekend away with a former love, no questions asked ?
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Further down a big Negro with a badly beaten face was shaking his head in the negative to every question asked him.
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None the less, this is the question Albright must now ask .
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I had only three questions to ask him.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
ask for the moon
ask/beg sb's pardon (for sth)
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I am ashamed of it myself, and for this reason I stoop to beg your pardon .
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I ask you to pardon me.
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In 1182, he asked formally for pardon , prostrating himself before Barbarossa.
be yours for the taking/asking
might I say/ask/add etc
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And what happened to yours, might I ask?
speak/ask/answer etc directly
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Although they never spoke directly of Lachlan, each knew the other's mind; though not as well as she believed.
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Dole spoke directly about his age, saying 73 years of life are not a liability.
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Even when asked directly , as they were by Carol Hong, employees misrepresented the costs, her lawsuit alleges.
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In fact, a Harvard spokesman confirmed her admittance only when asked directly .
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Later she spoke directly to Rachel.
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They seem to speak directly out of the dark into your ears or mine alone.
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This is, however, a book that speaks directly to the home cook looking for new challenges and tastes.
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When asked directly what were their visions of Howdendyke's future, interviewees made fairly consistent replies.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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``What's your name?'' she asked.
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A lot of people don't like asking for help.
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All I've ever asked of you is to try to be polite to my mother.
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At the end of the presentation you'll all have a chance to ask questions.
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For information about the new drug, ask your doctor.
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He can't pay the rent, but he still doesn't want to ask his parents for money.
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I've asked Mary to water the plants for me while I'm away.
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I was a little surprised when he asked me if I was married.
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If you ever need any help with anything, you only have to ask .
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If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask .
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Letty's been asking me if she can take the dog out for a walk.
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She might be willing to babysit, but you won't know till you ask her.
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The man on the phone wasn't very helpful, so I asked to speak with the manager.
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They'll probably just ask you about your education and work experience.
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Todd just went to the fridge and helped himself to a beer, without even asking.
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What should I tell people if they ask me why you didn't come to the party?
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Another asked about the original Katharine Branson.
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It is bad enough when people are asked to work long hours.
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It will ask my modem to resend the entire block.
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So what's new, it might be asked.
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Those with goods stacked outside might leave a note asking you to slide money into the mail slot should you take anything.
II. noun
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
I hate to ask/interrupt/disturb etc
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Martin I hate to disturb you when you're cooking the books, but there's a delivery.
ask for the moon
ask/beg sb's pardon (for sth)
▪
I am ashamed of it myself, and for this reason I stoop to beg your pardon .
▪
I ask you to pardon me.
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In 1182, he asked formally for pardon , prostrating himself before Barbarossa.
be yours for the taking/asking
if you don't mind my saying so/if you don't mind me asking
might I say/ask/add etc
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And what happened to yours, might I ask?
need I ask/need I say more/need I go on etc?
pardon me for interrupting/asking/saying
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Pardon me for asking, but where did you buy your shoes?
speak/ask/answer etc directly
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Although they never spoke directly of Lachlan, each knew the other's mind; though not as well as she believed.
▪
Dole spoke directly about his age, saying 73 years of life are not a liability.
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Even when asked directly , as they were by Carol Hong, employees misrepresented the costs, her lawsuit alleges.
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In fact, a Harvard spokesman confirmed her admittance only when asked directly .
▪
Later she spoke directly to Rachel.
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They seem to speak directly out of the dark into your ears or mine alone.
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This is, however, a book that speaks directly to the home cook looking for new challenges and tastes.
▪
When asked directly what were their visions of Howdendyke's future, interviewees made fairly consistent replies.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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A questioner in the studio audience asked the Labour MP to defend his party's recent statement.