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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage

This beckons the question

We all know about the misuse of "begs the question" when raises is clearly meant. But how about "beckons the question"?
http://www.fatwallet.com/t/67/453910/:
"I guess this beckons the question: will anyone ever be able to compete with eBay?"

http://www.johnstexas.com http://stores.ebay.com/Johnstexas?refid=store http://www.desototexasusa.com/glossary.htm
  

Top answer

[nq:1]We all know about the misuse of "begs the question" when raises is clearly meant. But how about "beckons the question"? "[/nq] This is what most people have meant all along.

  • [nq:1]We all know about the misuse of "begs the question" when raises is clearly meant.
  • But how about "beckons the question"?
  • "[/nq] This is what most people have meant all along.
  • Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor For email, replace numbers with English alphabet.
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10 Answers
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[nq:1]We all know about the misuse of "begs the question" when raises is clearly meant. But how about "beckons the question"? http://www.fatwallet.com/t/67/453910/: "I guess this beckons the question: will anyone ever be able to compete with eBay?"[/nq]
This is what most people have meant all along.

Fra
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[nq:2]We all know about the misuse of "begs the question" ... question: will anyone ever be able to compete with eBay?"[/nq]
[nq:1]This is what most people have meant all along.[/nq]
"Begs the question" does NOT clearly mean "raises the question". That's a corruption of the original meaning, which was to "assume the truth of a thing to be proved or a thing equivalent to it" ( New Shorter O
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[nq:2]This is what most people have meant all along.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Begs the question" does NOT clearly mean "raises the question". That's a corruption of the original meaning, which was to ... the question" means. It sounds like it could have been someone's invention to avoid the ambiguity of "begs the question".[/nq]
Does OED have a usage of "beg" as in "to beg the question" but in a differ
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[nq:1]We all know about the misuse of "begs the question" when raises is clearly meant. But how about "beckons the question"? http://www.fatwallet.com/t/67/453910/: "I guess this beckons the question: will anyone ever be able to compete with eBay?"[/nq]
Well spotted! It's now in the Eggcorn Database...

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[nq:2]This is what most people have meant all along.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Begs the question" does NOT clearly mean "raises the question".[/nq]
Yes, Mr C, you're right. But not everybody knows that. Most people misuse this phrase to mean "raises the question". That is what I meant.
[nq:1]That's a corruption of the original meaning, which was to "assume the truth of a thing to be proved or ... wi
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(
[nq:1]Does OED have a usage of "beg" as in "to beg the question" but in a different phrase?[/nq]
(quote)

1. To ask alms or by way of alms. a. trans. To ask (bread, money,etc.) in alms or as a charitable gift; to procure (one's living) by begging.
a1225 Ancr. R. 356 Scheome ich telle uorte+beggen ase on harlot...his liuene? 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. vi. 195 Blynde and bedreden ..
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[nq:1]([/nq]
[nq:2]Does OED have a usage of "beg" as in "to beg the question" but in a different phrase?[/nq]
[nq:1](quote) 1. To ask alms or by way of alms. a. trans. To ask (bread, money, etc.) in alms or as a charitable gift; to procure (one's living) by begging. (more detail for that particular usage snipped)[/nq]
Er that's the familiar usage of the word, of course. I was asking fo
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[nq:2]( (quote) 1. To ask alms or by way of ... living) by begging. (more detail for that particular usage snipped)[/nq]
[nq:1]Er that's the familiar usage of the word, of course. I was asking for the "beg the question" usage, because I can't find any examples of it other than in that particular phrase.[/nq]
MWCD has "to require as necessary or appropriate", which seems close.

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[nq:2]Er that's the familiar usage of the word, of ... any examples of it other than in that particular phrase.[/nq]
[nq:1]MWCD has "to require as necessary or appropriate", which seems close. http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=beg[/nq]
Interesting does any dicti
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[nq:1]Does OED have a usage of "beg" as in "to beg the question" but in a different phrase?[/nq]
They give examples with that meaning of "beg" used with other objects: "begging the meaning", "beg the thing in question", and "begging the point"
The relevant definition is number 6:
beg, v. Second Edition 1989

6. To take for granted without warrant; esp. into beg the question: to

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