ask

(ăsk)

v., asked, ask·ing, asks.

v.tr.

1. To put a question to: When we realized that we didn't know the answer, we asked the teacher.
2. To seek an answer to: ask a question.
3. To seek information about: asked directions.
4. 1. To make a request of: asked me for a loan.
   2. To make a request for. Often used with an infinitive or clause: ask a favor of a friend; asked to go along on the trip; asked that he be allowed to stay out late.
5. To require or call for as a price or condition: asked ten dollars for the book.
6. To expect or demand: ask too much of a child.
7. To invite: asked them to dinner.
8. Archaic. To publish, as marriage banns.

v.intr.

1. To make inquiry; seek information.
2. To make a request: asked for help.

idioms:

ask for it (or trouble) Informal.

1. To persist in an action despite the likelihood that it will result in difficulty or punishment.

ask out

1. To invite (someone) to a social engagement.

[Middle English asken, from Old English ācsian, āscian.]

asker ask'er n.

SYNONYMS   ask, question, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz. These verbs mean to seek information. Ask is the most neutral term: The coach asked me what was wrong. Question implies careful and continuous asking: The prosecutor questioned the witness in great detail. Inquire refers to a simple request for information: The committee will inquire how it can be of help. Query usually suggests settling a doubt: The proofreader queried the spelling of the word. Interrogate applies especially to official questioning: The detectives interrogated the suspects. Examine refers particularly to close and detailed questioning to ascertain a person's knowledge or qualifications: Only lawyers who have been examined and certified by the bar association are admitted to practice. Quiz denotes the informal examination of students: The teacher quizzed the pupils on the state capitals.

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(Amplitude Shift Keying) A simple digital modulation technique that uses two voltage levels for 0 and 1. See amplitude modulation.

Amplitude Shift Keying

ASK is a simple technique that uses two voltage levels to represent 0 and 1.

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verb

1. To put a question to (someone): examine, inquire, query, question, quiz. See ask/answer.
2. To seek an answer to (a question): pose, put, raise. See ask/answer.
3. To endeavor to obtain (something) by expressing one's needs or desires. request, seek, solicit. See request.
4. To have as a need or prerequisite: call for, demand, entail, involve, necessitate, require, take. See necessary/unnecessary, over/under.
5. To request that someone take part in or be present at a particular occasion: bid, invite. See warn/invite.

Idioms beginning with ask:
ask for
ask out

In addition to the idioms beginning with ask, see don't ask; for the asking.

v

Definition: invite
Antonyms: disinvite, ignore

v

Definition: question, request
Antonyms: answer, claim, command, insist, reply, repudiate, tell

The price a seller is willing to accept for a security, also known as the offer price. Along with the price, the ask quote will generally also stipulate the amount of the security willing to be sold at that price.

Sometimes called "the ask".

Investopedia Says:
This is the opposite of bid, which is the price a buyer is willing to pay for a security, and the ask will always be higher than the bid. The terms "bid" and "ask" are used in nearly every financial market in the world covering stocks, bonds, currency and derivatives. An example of an ask in the stock market would be $5.24 x 1,000 which means that someone is offering to sell 1,000 shares for $5.24.

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Find out the various ways in which a broker can fill an order, which can affect costs. Understanding Order Execution
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IN BRIEF: To inquire or make a request.

If you don't ask, you don't get. — Gandhi

Tutor's tip: One who "acts" (behaves) like a fool "asks" (questions) about the need for an "ax(e)" or chopping tool near the fireplace.

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as in: you ask him or her
sign description: This is a directional verb. The right index finger makes a crocking motion as it moves from one side of the body to the other.

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Quotes:

"Great things are only possible with outrageous requests." - Thea Alexander

"You can't ask for what you want unless you know what it is. A lot of people don't know what they want or they want much less than they deserve. First you have figure out what you want. Second, you have to decide that you deserve it. Third, you have to believe you can get it. And, fourth, you have to have the guts to ask for it." - Barbara De Angelis

"Man, if you gotta ask you'll never know." - Louis Armstrong

"Ask with urgency and passion." - Arthur James Balfour

"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why." - Bernard M. Baruch

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek; and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. [Matthew 7:7-8]" - Bible

See more famous quotes about Ask

verb
verb

1: to ask for it to act in such a way as to bring trouble upon oneself, to give provocation. (1909 —) .
M. Innes 'The damned scoundrels'...The girl was philosophical. 'I asked for it, all right' (1946).

2: ask me another I do not know (the answer to your question). (1910 —) .
I. Compton-burnett 'Devoted?' said Josephine, raising her brows. 'Ask me another. I am not in a position to give you an account of their feelings' (1933).

3: if you ask me in my opinion. (1910 —) .
Punch If you ask me, a little of that sort of thing would brighten up the trade wonderfully (1932).

[In sense 1, substituting for to ask for trouble.]

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For a list of words related to ask, see:

• Questions and Answers - ask: call for an answer; put a question to; request; invite

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See words rhyming with "asker."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Ask.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - spørge, bede
v. intr. - bede om, spørge om
n. - kurs

idioms:

• ask after    spørge til
• ask back    invitere igen, gengælde invitation
• ask for    bede om
• ask for it    bede om det, selv være ude om det
• ask of    bede om
• asking price    udbudspris, priside, prisforlangende
• for the asking    alt man peger på
• I ask you    så er det, at jeg spørger dig

Nederlands (Dutch)
vragen, vorsen, verzoeken, informeren naar, eisen, verlangen, uitnodigen

Français (French)
v. tr. - demander, solliciter, (Comm) demander (un prix), inviter, prier qn de
v. intr. - demander, s'informer de qch, se renseigner sur qch
n. - (Comm) prix à la vente

idioms:

• ask after    demander des nouvelles de
• ask along    inviter qn à, inviter (chez soi)
• ask around    demander autour de soi, se renseigner
• ask back    réinviter
• ask for    demander, demander à voir
• ask for it    l'avoir bien chercher
• ask of    demander de qn, prier qn de
• ask out    inviter qn à sortir
• asking price    (Comm) prix de départ, prix demandé au départ
• don't ask me!    allez savoir!, est-ce que je sais moi!
• for the asking    suffire de demander (pour l'obtenir)
• I ask you    Je vous le demande (excl)

Deutsch (German)
v. - fragen, bitten, verlangen, einladen, auffordern
n. - (vor allem USA) Ausgangspreis

idioms:

• ask after    fragen nach
• ask along    jdn. einladen, irgendwohin mitzukommen
• ask around    versuchen etwas herauszufinden, indem man viele Leute fragt
• ask back    zurückverlangen, zurückerbitten
• ask for    verlangen, herausfordern, fragen um, heraufbeschwören
• ask for it    sich um etwas Unangenehmes verdient machen
• ask of    fordern von, zumuten
• ask out    jmd. einladen
• asking price    geforderter Preis
• don't ask me!    frag mich nicht!
• for the asking    umsonst, mühelos
• I ask you    Ich bitte dich!

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ρωτώ, ζητώ απάντηση, κάνω, υποβάλλω (ερώτηση), καλώ, προσκαλώ, παρακαλώ, ζητώ

idioms:

• ask after    ερωτώ για, ερωτώ για την υγεία
• ask back    καλώ με τη σειρά μου
• ask for    ζητώ, ζητώ (να δω), πάω γυρεύοντας για
• ask for it    (καθομ.) πάω γυρεύοντας, πάω φιρί-φιρί
• ask of    ζητώ από (κάποιον)
• asking price    τιμή πωλήσεως
• for the asking    (καθομ.) διαθέσιμος, σε πρώτη ζήτηση
• I ask you    πες μου, σε παρακαλώ

Italiano (Italian)
domandare, informarsi, far domanda, richiedere, invitare, chiedere, prezzo richiesto

idioms:

• ask after    chiedere di
• ask back    ridomandare
• ask for    richiedere
• ask of    chiedere a
• asking for it    cercarsele
• asking price    prezzo richiesto
• for the asking    gratis
• I ask you!    ma dimmi un po'

Português (Portuguese)
v. - perguntar, pedir, convidar

idioms:

• ask after    interrogar, procurar (alguém)
• ask back    retrucar
• ask for    perguntar por (alguém, alguma coisa)
• ask for it    provocar alguma coisa
• ask of    desejar
• asking price    pedir orçamento
• for the asking    gratuitamente
• I ask you!    o que eu queria saber é, diga-me!

Русский (Russian)
спрашивать, осведомиться, просить, требовать, приглашать, умолять, просить милостыню, просьба

idioms:

• ask after    осведомиться о здоровье
• ask back    просить назад что-либо
• ask for    просить
• ask for it    напрашиваться, так и надо
• ask of    требовать, просить
• asking price    назначенная цена
• for the asking    бесплатно, если попросите, если захотите
• I ask you!    ну что вы на это скажете!

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - preguntar, averiguar, pedir, solicitar, exigir, invitar, convidar, rogar, implorar
v. intr. - preguntar por, pedir (una cosa), buscársela, hacer una pregunta, hacer un convite, hacer una solicitud
n. - petición

idioms:

• ask after    preguntar por, averiguar, inquirir acerca de la salud de alguien
• ask along    invitar, invitar a alguien para que venga
• ask around    averiguar, investigar, tratar de averiguar algo preguntando a varias personas
• ask back    pedir la devolución de
• ask for    pedir, preguntar por, requerir, necesitar, merecer o hacerse acreedor a algo desagradable
• ask for it    pedir, preguntar por, requerir, necesitar, tenerse algo merecido
• ask of    demandar, exigir de
• ask out    invitar a alguien a una cita
• asking price    precio inicial, precio cotizado
• don't ask me!    no me preguntes!
• for the asking    a pedir de boca
• I ask you    ¡le pregunto a Ud.!

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - fråga, be

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
问, 请求, 询问, 要求, 要求的价格

idioms:

• ask after    探问
• ask back    回请
• ask for    要, 要求, 找
• ask for it    自讨苦吃
• ask of    要求...
• asking price    索价, 要价
• for the asking    一经索取..., 只需询问一下便可...
• I ask you    请问

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 問, 請求, 詢問, 要求
v. intr. - 詢問, 要求, 問
n. - 要求的價格

idioms:

• ask after    探問
• ask back    回請
• ask for    要, 要求, 找
• ask for it    自討苦吃
• ask of    要求...
• asking price    索價, 要價
• for the asking    一經索取..., 只需詢問一下便可...
• I ask you    請問

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 을 묻다, 에게 바라다, 공표하다
v. intr. - 질문하다, 청하다
n. - 질문

idioms:

• ask after    의 안부를 묻다
• ask back    되묻다, 답례로 초대하다
• ask for    을 부탁하다
• ask of    을 묻다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 尋ねる, 頼む, 要求する, 招待する, 誘う

idioms:

• ask after    健康を尋ねる
• ask back    問い返す
• ask for    尋ねてくる, 請う, 面会を求める
• ask for it    自業自得である
• ask for quarter    命乞いをする
• ask for trouble    災難を招くような余計なことをする
• ask of    頼む
• for the asking    請求しさえすれば, 無償で
• I ask you!    何だねこれは

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يسأل, يطلب, يلتمس‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮שאל, ביקש מאחר, דרש, הזמין‬
v. intr. - ‮ביקש להשיג או לפגוש‬
n. - ‮המחיר בו מוצע למכירה פריט, בעיקר ערבות כספית‬

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