Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
go begging en · VERB
Pronunciation
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To be available but wasted, unused, or not actualized.
Three match points went begging as that potent first serve deserted her and even a magnificent backhand lob could not stop Bartoli making it 5-5, before going on to level the match in the tie-break.
2011 June 28, Piers Newbery, “Wimbledon 2011: Sabine Lisicki beats Marion Bartoli”, in BBC Sport:As prosperity piles up the paperwork, the shortage becomes more severe; some 250000 secretarial jobs go begging every day.
1957 April 8, “They're Either Too Pretty or Too Old”, in Time:"Principles without leaders go begging," he replied.
1904, David Graham Phillips, chapter 18, in The Cost:
Forms