Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Ask, 1) to inquire; abs.: “that it pleases your good worship to a.” Wiv. I, 4, 145. “let me a.” Meas. I, 4, 21. “why doest thou a. again?” II, 2, 9 etc. A clause following: “thou shouldst rather a. if it were possible,” Ado III, 3, 119. Shr. III, 2, 161. Alls II, 5, 70. John IV, 2, 43 etc. to a. for == to enquire after: “the gentleman that you --ed for,” Gent. IV, 2, 32. Err. II, 2, 211. Ado I, 1, 34. LLL III, 168. As III, 2, 235. III, 5, 109. Tw. II, 5, 61. H6A IV, 7, 58. Troil. III, 3, 244. Rom. I, 3, 101. I, 5, 13. III, 1, 101 etc. to a. of == to put a question to: “durst not a. of her why . . .” Lucr. 1223. “let me a. of these if they . . .” H6B V, 1, 109. “and a. 'what news' of me,” Cymb. V, 3, 65. In the language of Evans to a. of == to a. for: Wiv. <*>, 2, 1.
Trans.; the accus. indicating the person questioned: “to a. the spotted princess how she fares,” Lucr. 721. Lucr. 721 Sonn. 2, 5. Gent. I, 1, 121. II, 5, 36. Wiv. III, 4, 69. III, 5, 103. IV, 4, 58. Meas. II, 1, 148. II, 2, 137. Ado III, 4, 37. V, 1, 225 etc. to a. one for == to put a question to one in order to be informed about: “--s the weary caitiff for his master,” Ven. 914. As IV, 1, 138. H4B II, 4, 389 etc. to a. one of, in the same sense: “why does he a. him of me?” Alls IV, 3, 317. With a double accus., in the same sense: “a. me no reason,” Wiv. II, 1, 4. As V, 2, 38. R2 I, 3, 9. Lr. V, 3, 118 etc. “a. him some questions,” Wiv. IV, 1, 16. Alls I, 1, 123. H6A I, 2, 87 etc. “to a. the question,” LLL II, 117 (cf. Question).
The accus. indicating the thing inquired after: “the hour that fools should a.” LLL II, 123. “a. my opinion,” Merch. III, 5, 90. “he --ed the way to Chester,” H4B I, 1, 39. “answer that I shall a.” H6B I, 4, 29. “why a. I that?” H6C V, 2, 7.
2) to request, to petition, to beg; absol.: “yet a.” R2 IV, 310. “did not a., but mock,” Cor. II, 3, 215. V, 3, 79. V, 3, 79 “upon --ing,” Tw. III, 4, 232. “at his --ing,” H8 II, 1, 163. “yet dare I never deny your --ing,” Cor. I, 6, 65. “my offer, not thy --ing,” Hml. I, 2, 46. to a. for == to request: “bade me a. for it to-day,” H5 II, 2, 63. “and never --ed for restitution,” H6C III, 1, 118. to a. of == to pray: “he --s of you that never used to beg,” Per. II, 1, 66.
Trans.; to a. a thing == a) to beg, to express a desire of having, to demand: “a. remission for my folly,” Gent. I, 2, 65. “a. forgiveness,” Meas. IV, 2, 54. Err. IV, 3, 72. Merch. IV, 1, 369. Shr. II, 181. Tw. II, 5, 201. John IV, 2, 63. John IV, 2, 63 H6B II, 4, 72. H6C II, 6, 69. H6C II, 6, 69 III, 1, 44. H8 I, 1, 187. II, 2, 112. Tit. I, 201 etc. b) to require: “that will a. some tears,” Mids. I, 2, 27. “my business --eth haste,” Shr. II, 115. “these great affairs do a. some charge,” R2 II, 1, 159. “the business --eth silent secrecy,” H6B I, 2, 90. To a. a thing of a person: “one boon that I shall a. of you,” Gent. V, 4, 150. Mids. IV, 1, 64. Tw. III, 4, 231. Tit. I, 473. Tim. III, 4, 45. Lr. V, 3, 11. Cymb. V, 5, 97. Per. I, 1, 62 (nor a. advice of any other thought) etc. Double accus.: “must a. my child forgiveness,” Tp. V, 198. Meas. III, 1, 173. As IV, 1, 113. Shr. III, 2, 178. Wint. V, 2, 56. John IV, 1, 44. V, 7, 41. Lr. V, 3, 10 etc. To a. a person for a thing: “when I could not a. my father for his advice,” Tp. V, 190. “he --ed me for a thousand marks in gold,” Err. II, 1, 61. “to a. you for my purse,” Tw. III, 4, 369. H4A I, 3, 91. H8 I, 1, 124. Oth. II, 3, 306 etc.