beggar Hear it!

beggar Definition

beg·gar (beg′ər)

noun

  1. a person who begs, or asks for charity, esp. one who lives by begging; mendicant
  2. a person who is very poor; pauper
  3. Chiefly Brit. a person; fellow: often used jokingly or affectionately

Etymology: ME beggere < OFr begard: see beg

transitive verb

  1. to make a beggar of; make poor
  2. to make seem inadequate or useless her beauty beggars description

beggar Related Forms
beg′·gar·dom (-dəm) noun
beggar Synonyms

beggar

n.

  1. One who begs

    mendicant, supplicant, suppliant, lazzarone, cadger, parasite, almsman, lazar, panhandler*, moocher*, touch artist*, bummer*, sponger*, freeloader*; see also tramp 1.

    Antonyms prodigal, donor*, giver.

  2. An impoverished person

    pauper, poor person, indigent, poverty-stricken person, destitute person, bag lady, street person, homeless person, shopping-bag lady, dependent, derelict, poor relation, ward of the state, bankrupt, starveling, down-and-outer*, bum*.

    Antonyms financier*, millionaire, landed proprietor.

  3. A rascal

    scamp, fellow, scoundrel; see rascal.

beggar Usage Examples

Object

  • belief: It frankly beggars belief that planning permission was granted in the first place.
  • description: Such a sight we encountered as would beggar all description.

Converse of object

  • wander: These wandering beggars are said to have consecrated their life to music-making for God, and Uyghurs are very charitable toward them.
  • tell: The old saw about 'one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, ' is in the same line.
  • become: The Badshah of the palace became a beggar of the street; the prince turned a pauper.
  • meet: I met a beggar in Italy at the age of twelve.

Adjective modifier

  • crippled: A crippled beggar, miraculously cured, leaps up to help them.
  • sturdy: The Elizabethan view of " sturdy beggars " was distinguished from the " impotent poor " in the legislation.
  • blind: Early last century there was a blind beggar who, led by his dog, tried in vain to cross a busy London street.
  • homeless: In 1979 homeless beggars on the streets of major British cities were fiction, not an obscene reality.
  • aggressive: An aggressive beggar has been slapped with his second anti-social behavior order.
  • poor: Poor young beggars, they all has their troubles afore ' em!

Preposition: on

  • street: In 1979 homeless beggars on the streets of major British cities were fiction, not an obscene reality.

Modifies a noun

  • belief: More water in the Ness at Holm Burn beggars belief.
  • description: Your glory, which permeates all space, beggars description.
  • cannot: But beggars cannot be choosers and there never appears to be a shortage of takers when a rare part is offered.
  • woman: I found my tiny beggar woman radiant with smiles.

Possessives

  • belief: The amount of kit being connected to miles of cable beggar's belief.

Preposition: in

  • street: Some will have heard the cries of beggars in the streets; some will have smelled the stench of open sewers.

Noun used with modifier

  • street: Peaceful, not much traffic and no street beggars.
beggar Quotes

That my old bitter heart was pierced in this black doom, That foreign devils have made our land a tomb, That the sun that was Munster's glory has gone down Has made me a beggar before you,Valentine Brown.

—O'Rahilly, Egan Gaelic name  Aodhaga¤  n OŁ   Rathaille

Potter is piqued with potter, joiner with joiner, beggar begrudges beggar, and singer singer.

—Hesiod   c.8c

Be not made a beggar by banqueting upon borrowing, when thou hast nothing in thy purse: for thou shalt lie in wait for thine own life, and be talked on.

—Bible (Apocrypha)

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afaroff, and Lazarus in his bosom.

—Bible (NewTestament)

When you see how in this happy country the lowest and poorest member of society takes an interest in all public affairs; when you see how high and low, rich and poor, are all willing to declare their feelings and convictions; when you see howa carter, a common sailor, a beggar is still a man, nay, even more, an Englishmanöthen, believe me, you find yourself very differently affected fromtheexperienceyoufeelwhenstaring atoursoldiers drilling in Berlin.

—Moritz, Karl Philipp

In ease of body, peace of mind, all the different ranks of life are nearly upon a level and the beggar who suns himself by the side of the highway, possesses that security which kings are fighting for.

—Smith, Adam

So 'ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan; You're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man; An''ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your 'ayrick 'ead of 'airö You big black boundin' beggaröfor you broke a British square!

—Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard