ask

I UK [ɑːsk] / US [æsk] verb
Word forms "ask":
present tense I/you/we/they ask he/she/it asks present participle asking past tense asked past participle asked
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Get it right: ask:

The verb ask is never used with the preposition to. It takes a direct personal object, so you can: ▪  ask someone something
▪  ask someone what/where/why/how etc
Wrong: The speaker asks to the men how many children they have.
Right: The speaker asks the men how many children they have.
Wrong: It is an interesting question that every European should ask to himself.
Right: It is an interesting question that every European should ask himself.
Wrong: The women have to get permission, but no-one asks to the men where they are going.
Right: The women have to get permission, but no-one asks the men where they are going.

1) [intransitive/transitive] to speak or write to someone in order to get information from them

I wondered who had given her the ring but was afraid to ask.

ask someone something:

I asked him his name, but he didn't answer.

ask (someone) why/how/whether etc:

She asked me how I knew about it.

ask (someone) about something:

Did you ask about the money?

ask someone a question:

The police wanted to ask us a few questions.

ask yourself something (= consider it carefully):

He ought to ask himself why nobody ever invites him.

2) [intransitive/transitive] to speak or write to someone because you want them to give you something

If you need any help, just ask.

ask (someone) for something:

The children were asking for drinks.

ask someone's permission/advice/opinion etc:

I think we'd better ask your mum's opinion first.

ask someone a favour:

Can I ask you a favour?

3) [intransitive/transitive] to expect someone to do something or give you something

ask something (for something):

It's a nice house, but they're asking over half a million pounds.

ask a lot/too much:

It's asking a lot of teenagers to expect them to see what's wrong with consumerism.

All I want is five minutes' peace and quiet: is that asking too much?

ask someone (not) to do something:

We ask guests not to smoke in the hotel.

4) [intransitive/transitive] to say that you want something to happen, or that you want someone else to do something

ask someone (not) to do something:

Then the computer will ask you to restart it.

He asked us to join him.

ask to do something:

I asked to see the manager.

ask (not) to be:

The writer has asked not to be named.

ask that someone (should) do something:

The committee has asked that this scheme be stopped for now.

5) [transitive] to invite someone to do something or go somewhere with you

ask someone to something:

How many people have you asked to the party?

ask someone for something:

We should ask them for a meal sometime.

ask someone over/round (= to your house):

The neighbours have asked us over for a drink.

ask someone in (= ask someone to come into your house, room, office etc):

We waited for half an hour before he asked us in.

ask someone to do something:

They asked me to stay the night.

•

who asked you? — spoken used as a rude way of telling someone that their opinion is not important

"I don't like it." "Well, who asked you?"

you may/might well ask — spoken used for showing that you think someone's question is difficult to answer

"How are we supposed to do this?" "You may well ask!"

- ask someone to believe something

- don't ask

- don't ask me

- for the asking

- I ask you

- if you ask me

Phrasal verbs:

- ask after

- ask around

- ask for

- ask out

II UK [ɑːsk] / US [æsk] noun

- a big ask