BEG THE QUESTION Definition & Meaning

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beg the question

To assume what has still to be proved: “To say that we should help the region's democratic movement begs the question of whether it really is democratic.”

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Idioms and Phrases

Take for granted or assume the truth of the very thing being questioned. For example, Shopping now for a dress to wear to the ceremony is really begging the question—she hasn't been invited yet. This phrase, whose roots are in Aristotle's writings on logic, came into English in the late 1500s. In the 1990s, however, people sometimes used the phrase as a synonym of “ask the question” (as in The article begs the question: “What are we afraid of?”).

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“This alarming lack of transparency and lack of allowing congressional members and lawyers to have access to people who are being detained really begs the question, what are they afraid of us seeing?” she asked.

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It begs the question: what next for the Australian?

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Languishing in 16th and on their joint-worst winless run of seven games following a 2-0 home defeat by West Ham, it begs the question just how much worse can things get for United?

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Which begs the question of whether there is another just around the corner?

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Back-to-back league defeats for the first time since May 2023 begs the question: have Arsenal's players been distracted by their Champions League achievement?

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begrudgingly beg to differ

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