beg off

English

Etymology

beg + off

Pronunciation

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Verb

beg off (third-person singular simple present begs off, present participle begging off, simple past and past participle begged off)

1. (idiomatic) To obtain somebody's permission to skip or cancel an event that one has previously arranged with them.
   • 1985 December 7, Christine Guilfoy, Bailus Walker, “Quarantine Is No Way To Fight AIDS”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 21, page 8:

     That's an issue that I have not discussed with the legal people. I don't know what authority we have to prevent insurance companies from setting criteria for those people that they would insure. Whether that rests with us or with the Commissioner of Insurance, I don't know. I'm going to have to beg off that question.

   I wonder if I can beg off going to the meeting that day, since it will take me an extra two hours out of my way.

Synonyms

• cry off