ask 
His eyes, his silence, did beseech 
1 For more and more and more of love. 
William Harris, Earthly Paradise, II. 114. 
Lest I should fear and fall, and miss Thee so, 
Who art not missed by any that entreat. 
Mr*. Browning, Comfort. 
Time, the avenger ! unto thee I lift 
My hands, and eyes, and heart, and cram of thee a gift. 
Byron, Childe Harold, iv. 130. 
We have petitioned, we have remonstrated, we have sup- 
plicated, we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, 
and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyran- 
nical hands of the ministry and Parliament. 
Patrick flt'i->/. 
Dili they hear me, would they listen, did they pity me tup- 
pticating ? 
Shall I heed them in their anguish? shall I brook to he 
fiij>liliratcd> Tenni/son, Boadiiva. 
Implore your help in these pathetic strains. 
Pope, Imit. of Horace, II. i. 2.'K. 
Importune him for my moneys ; be not ceas'd 
With slight denial. Shak. , T. of A. , ii. 1. 
5 and 6. Ask, Inquire, Question, Interrogate. Ask is here 
also the generic word ; it is simple and informal. Inquire 
may be used in the endeavor to be civil, or it may express 
a more minute examination into facts : as, to inquire (into, 
as to) the causes of discontent. To question in this sense 
implies the asking of a series of questions, it being sup- 
posed that the truth is hard to get at, through ignorance, 
reluctance, etc., in the person questioned. Interrogate is 
essentially the same as question, but more formal : as, to 
question a child or servant about his conduct ; to interro- 
gate a witness, an applicant for office, etc. Questioning 
or interrogation might be resented where asking, asking 
a question, or inquiring would meet with a friendly re- 
sponse. 
If we encountered a man of rare intellect, we should 
ask him what books he read. 
Emerson, Letters and Social Aims. 
I promis'd to inquire carefully 
About a schoolmaster for the fair Bianca. 
Shak., T. of the S., i. 2. 
But since I heard him make reply 
Is many a weary hour ; 
T were well to question him, and try 
If yet he keeps the power. 
Tennyson, The Talking Oak. 
To question and [to] interrogate [are] to ask repeatedly, 
and in the latter case more authoritatively than in the 
former. Crabb, English Synonymes, p. 102. 
II. intrans. 1. To request or petition: with 
for before the thing requested: as, ask for bread. 
Your committee ask for candor and justice ; they do 
not ask for adhesion to any system. 
Sumner, Prison Discipline. 
Explore the thought, explain the asking eye. 
Pope, Prol. to Satires, 1. 412. 
2. To inquire or make inquiry ; put a question : 
often followed by after or about, formerly also 
t>y f- 
Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? 
Gen. xxxii. 29. 
ask 2 (ask), . [E. dial, also asker, ascar, askerd, 
askard, < ME. aske, spelled once arske, < AS. 
athexe (found but once, in a gloss), appar. contr. 
from *agithexe = OS. egithassa = OD. eggedisse, 
egdis, later heghdisse, haeghdisse, now hagedis, 
h'aagdis (simulating D. haag = E. hay 2 , hedge) 
= OHG. egidehsa, MHG. egedehse, G. eidechse, a 
newt ; appar. a compound, but of uncertain for- 
mation ; perhaps < AS. *agi, ege = OS. egi = 
OHG. egi = Goth, agis, fear (see awe), + -thexe, 
OHG. -dehsa, repr. a Teut. / *thaks, make, fash- 
ion (seen also in OHG. MHG. dalis, G. dachs, a 
badger, OHG. dehsala, MHG. dehscl, a hatchet, 
ax, in Gr. TCKTUV, a carpenter, artisan, r6jov, a 
bow, etc.: see tectonic, architect, toxic), = Skt. 
y/ taksh, make, fashion; the sense 'awe- or 
fear-maker' suiting the popular dread of lizards 
and other reptiles.] A newt. [Prov. Eng. and 
Scotch.] 
aska (as'ka), n. [Euss. asika.] A warm cap 
with a round top and without ear-pieces, worn 
by the Russian peasantry. 
askance 1 (a-skans'), adv. [First in early mod. 
E., also written ascance, askaunce, ascaunce, 
askauns, askaunse, asconee, a seance, a sconce, in 
the earliest recorded form (Palsgrave, 1530) a 
scanche; with a later variant askant, q. v. Ori- 
gin uncertain. Cf. asquint, aslclent, aslant, and 
askew, askile.] Side wise; obliquely ; out of the 
corner of the eye ; askant. 
But Bustum ey'd askance the kneeling youth. 
M. Arnold, Sohrab and Rnstum. 
So she, and turn'd askance a wintry eye. 
Tennyson, The Princess. 
askance 1 (a-skans'), v. t.; pret. and pp. askanced, 
ppr. askancing. [< askance^, adv.] To turn 
aside, as the eyes. [Rare.] 
O, how are they wrapp'd in with infamies 
That from their own misdeeds askance their eyes ! 
Shak., Lucrece, 1. 637. 
askance 2 !, askancest, adv. and conj. [Early 
mod. E. ascances, askaunces, < ME. ascance, as- 
kaunce, ascaunce, ascaunces, as skaunce, of uncer- 
338 
tain origin; perhaps < OF. *as cances: as, < L. 
nd illns, to the ; cances, pi. of cance, unassibilated 
(Picard) form of cheance, > ME. cliance, chamice, 
E. chance. Cf. perchance.] I. adv. Perhaps. 
Ascaunce that craft is so lyght to lere ? 
Chaucer, Yeoman's Tale, 1. 838. 
II. conj. As if ; as if (saying). 
And wroot the names . . . 
Atcaunce [var. askaunce] that he wolde for hem preye. 
Chaucer, Summoner's Tale, 1. 37. 
Keeping a countenance ascances she understood him 
not. Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia. 
Therewith he raysed his heavy head alight, 
Askaunces, Ha ! indeed and thinkest thon so. 
Gaxcoigne, Flowers. (A'. E. I).) 
askant (a-skanf), adv. [Early mod. E. also 
ascant, askaunt, ascaunt, later form of askance*. 
Cf. aslant or asquint.] Sidewise ; askance. 
With an eye askant. Courper, Iliad, xi. 657. 
asker 1 (as'ker), n. [ME. asker, aslcere ; < tixk 1 
+ -er 1 .] One who asks ; a petitioner ; an in- 
quirer. 
To give to every asker. Hammond, Works, I. 99. 
Every asker being satisfied. 
Sir K. Digby, The Nature of Bodies. 
asker 2 (as'ker), n. [E. dial, also acar, askard, 
ascard, askerd, askal, etc. : see asfc 2 .] Same as 
afc2. [Prov. Eng.] 
askew (a-sku'), adv. [Early mod. E. also askue, 
ascue, a skew; appar. < a 3 + sJcete, q. v. Cf. 
equiv. Icel. a ska.] In an oblique position; 
obliquely; awry; out of the proper position or 
arrangement ; hence, askance ; sidelong. 
When ye lowre, or looke on me askew, 
Then doe I die. Spenser, Sonnets, vii. 
He [Kepler] found that this planet [Mare] moved in an 
ellipse or oval curve round the sun, which was situated 
rather askew near the middle. 
W. K. Clifford, Lectures, I. 78. 
askilet, prep. phr. AS adv. [Appar. < a 3 + "sidle, 
appar. of Scand. origin, repr. by AS. sceolh, 
sceol-, scyl- (cf. in comp. sccolh-ege, scyl-egede 
= Icel. skjoleygr = Sw. stelogd = Dan. skelojet, 
squint-eyed) = Icel. skjdlgr = Sw. dial, skjalg = 
D. scheel = OHG. scelah (scelh-), MHG. schelch, 
schel, G. scheel, schel, oblique, squinting; hence 
Icel. skala = Sw. skela = Dan. skele, make a 
wry face.] Askant. Bp. Hall. 
asking (as'king), n. [<f ME. asTcinge, axunge, 
etc.. < AS. ascung, dxung, < dscian, ask : see ask 1 .] 
1. The making of a request; a petition: as, it 
may be had for the asking. 2. Proclamation 
or publication in church of banns of marriage. 
See to ask in church, under asfe 1 . 
askingly (as'king-li), adv. In an entreating 
manner; with expression of request or desire. 
[Rare.] 
How askingly its footsteps toward me bend ! 
It seems to say, " And have I then one friend? " 
Coleridge, Young Ass (ed. 1796). 
asklent (as-klenf), adv. A Scotch form of 
aslant. 
askos (as'kos), n. [Gr. aaxof, a wine-skin: see 
asens.] In classical archa>ol., a vase imitating 
more or less closely the form of a wine-skin. 
Such vases, of Etruscan or Greek workmanship, are of not 
uncommon occurrence in Italy, and are often provided 
with a foot and a handle. Also ascus. 
asla (as'la), . An ancient Persian measure of 
land, probably a plethra (which see). 
aslaket (a-slak'), r. i. and t. [< ME. aslaken, 
< AS. asldcian, slacken, loosen, remit, < a- + 
slacian, slake: see a- 1 andsfoto.] 1. To abate; 
diminish. 
The water schal aslake and gon away. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 367. 
Shal . . . thy hauty lookcs quench my kindeled loue, 
or thy gallant shew aslake my good wil? 
Lyly, Euphues, Anat. of Wit, p. 179. 
2. To moderate ; mitigate ; appease ; satisfy. 
Atte laste aslaked was his mood. 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1. 902. 
When mourning altars, purgd with enimies life, 
The black infernall Furies doen aslake. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 36. 
The beast that prowls about in search of blood, 
Or reptile that within the treacherous brake 
Waits for the prey, upcoiled, its hunger to aslake. 
Southey, Paraguay, i. 14. 
aslani (as-la'ni), . [Turk., < aslan, arslan, a 
lion.] A Turkish silver coin, worth from 115 to 
120 aspers. See asper%. 
aslant (a-slanf), prep. phr. as adv. or a., and 
prep. [ME. aslante, o slante, aslonte, earlier 
on slonte, on sltnt; < a 3 , on, + slant. Cf. Sc. 
asklent, asclent.] I. adv. or a. In a slanting 
or sloping direction ; oblique ; obliquely ; not 
perpendicularly or at right angles. 
asocial 
The shaft drove through his neck aslant. Dryden. 
As with his wings aslant 
Sails the fierce cormorant. 
l.iiiKifellow, Skeleton in Armor. 
II. prep. Slantingly across ; athwart. 
There is a willow grows aslant a brook. 
Shak., Hamlet, iv. 7. 
The swelling upland where the side-long sun 
Aslant the wooded grove at evening goes. 
Longfellow, Spirit of Poetry. 
asleep (a-slep'), prep. phr. as adv. or a. [Also 
on sleep" (Acts xiii. 36) ;_ ME. aslepe, aelape, 
onsbepe, etc., < AS. on slope, in sleep ; < a 3 + 
sleep.] 1. In or into a state of sleep: as, to 
fall asleep. 
He [Sisera] was fast asleep. Judges iv. 21. 
By whispering winds soon lull'd asleep. 
Milton, L' Allegro, I. 116. 
And there within the hollow lay ... 
Aslaug the golden-headed child, 
Asleep and rosy. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, III. 32. 
2. Figuratively (a) Dead ; in or into a state 
of death : chiefly in the Scriptures and religious 
literature. 
Concerning them which are asleep, . . . sorrow not. 
1 Thes. iv. 13. 
(ft) Dormant ; inactive ; idle. 
During this inquisition Julia's tongue 
Was not asleep. Byron, Don Juan, i. 145. 
3. Having a peculiar numb feeling, accom- 
panied by or passing off with a prickly tingling 
sensation. This condition is produced usually by pro- 
longed pressure on the nerve-trunks, and consequently is 
most frequent in the arms and legs. 
His legge . . . was all aslepe, and in a manner sterke 
stiff. Udall, tr. of Erasmus's Apophthegms, p. 235. 
4. Naut., said of sails when the wind is just 
strong enough to distend them and prevent 
them from shaking. 
aslope (a-slop'), pp., or prep. phr. as adv. or a. 
[< late ME. a slope, either < a 3 + slope, n., or 
else for aslope, aslopen, 'slipped away,' < AS. 
dslopen, pp. of dsliipan, slip away, < a- + slupan, 
slip: see a- 1 and slope, a. and n., and slip. Cf. 
alight^, of similar double formation.] In or 
into an inclined or slanting position or direc- 
tion ; with leaning or inclination ; deflected 
from the perpendicular ; with declivity or de- 
scent, as a hill. 
Set them not upright, but aslope. Bacon, Essays. 
aslugt (a-slug'), adv. [< a 3 + slug 1 .] In a 
sluggish manner. [Rare.] 
His boat 
That comes asluij against the stream. 
Fotherby, Atheomastix, ii. 12. 
-asm. [< Gr. -aoyiii?, < -a&iv, after -(-, equiv. to 
-<oyiof, < -/fe<v : see -ism, and cf . -ast.] A suffix 
of Greek origin, occurring instead of -ism after 
-i-, as in enthusiasm, miasm, etc. 
asmanite (as'man-it), n. A form of silica 
found in some meteorites. It has been supposed 
to be orthorhombic in crystallization, but is probably 
identical with tridymite. 
Asmannshauser (as-manz-hoi'zer), n. A brand 
of wines made at Asmannshausen, in Nassau 
on the Rhine. These wines are both red and white, the 
former being in especial repute for its excellent flavor and 
color, though not keeping well. 
asmatographyt (as-ma-tog'ra-fi), n. [< LGr. 
(Jo-juaToypo^of, writing songs, < pOfiaToypafaiv, 
write songs, < Gr. $a[ia(T-), a song (< <f6etv, 
sing, > ult. E. ode, q. v.), + ypdQeiv, write.] 
The art of composing songs. 
asrnear (a,-smer'),prep. phr. as adv. or a. [< n 3 
+ smear."] Smeared over ; bedaubed. 
I came into Smithfleld, and the shameful place, being all 
asinear with filth, and fat, and blood, and foam, seemed to 
stick to me. Dickens, Great Expectations, xx. 
Asmonean, Asmonoean (as-mo-ne'an), a. and 
n. [< LL. Asmoweus or Asmone'-us, representing 
Heb. Khasmon.] I. a. Pertaining to Asmoneus 
or Asmoneeus, a reputed ancestor of Matta- 
thias, the first of the Maccabees and the father 
of Judas Maccabseus, who lived about 165 B. 
C. ; hence, pertaining to the Maccabees. See 
Maccabean. 
II. n. One of the family of Asmoneus; a 
Maccabean. 
asoak (a-sok'), prep. phr. as adv. or a. [< a 3 
+ soak.} In or into a soaked or soaking con- 
dition ; thoroughly wet. 
asocial (a-so'shal), a. [< Gr. a- priv. (a-i8) + 
social.'] Unsocial ; antagonistic to society. 
As new morbid elements are formed in the disintegrat- 
ing processes of disease, the ravages of which they there- 
upon accelerate ; so new products of an asocial or antiso- 
cial kind are formed in the retrograde metamorphosis of 
the human kind. Mauiisley, Body and Will, p. 241. 
