beggar

Everyday

1. A person who is very poor and lives by asking people for money or food. tree →
2. (UK, informal, old-fashioned) A person, used kindly or crossly, as in "lucky beggar" or "you little beggar". tree →
3. (verb, formal) To make very poor. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and fairy tales: a beggar at the palace gate (The Prince and the Pauper). In everyday talk: "beggars can't be choosers" means if you need help you must accept what you get. Phrases: beggars can't be choosers, beggar belief (be impossible to believe).

Examples

• The beggar sat outside the station. tree →
• The prince swapped clothes with a beggar. tree →
• Beggars can't be choosers, so I ate the cold toast. tree →
• You lucky beggar, you won again! tree →
• It beggars belief that he forgot his own birthday party. tree →
• The king gave a coin to the beggar. tree →
• "Will you play again?" asked the beggar. tree →

Note

Spelling: -ar, not -er. Calling a real person a beggar can be unkind; people now say "a homeless person" or "someone asking for money". The informal "lucky beggar" is mild, not rude.