ask for

ask for
phrasal verb [transitive]
Word forms "ask for":
present tense I/you/we/they ask for he/she/it asks for present participle asking for past tense asked for past participle asked for
1) ask for something to speak or write to someone because you want them to give you something

He's always reluctant to ask for anyone's help.

2) ask for someone to say that you want someone to come and speak to you

There's someone in the shop asking for the manager.

3) be asking for something to behave in a way that makes it likely that a particular unpleasant thing will happen to you

She's asking for trouble speaking to people like that.

be asking for it:

Anyone who drives while they're drunk is just asking for it.

4) someone couldn't ask for something
informal used for emphasizing that something is so good that nothing could be better

I couldn't ask for a more caring bunch of people to work with.

We couldn't have asked for better weather.


English dictionary. 2014.

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