begging bowl: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, journalistic, and political; sometimes used in critical or ironic tones.
Quick answer
What does “begging bowl” mean?
A bowl that a beggar holds out to ask for money or food.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A bowl that a beggar holds out to ask for money or food.
A metaphorical appeal for financial help or aid, often made by a person, organization, or country to others, implying dependency, desperation, or a plea for charity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more frequent and idiomatic in British English, particularly in political and international aid contexts. American English usage is largely identical in meaning but may appear slightly less frequently in journalism.
Connotations
Shared connotations of dependency and appeal for aid. In the UK, it has strong associations with government or NGO fundraising, while in the US, it can also appear in corporate or municipal financial crisis contexts.
Frequency
Moderately low in both varieties, but with a stronger foothold in British political and journalistic discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “begging bowl” in a Sentence
[subject] + hold out + the begging bowl + to + [recipient][subject] + go + around with + the begging bowlVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Critically describing a failing company seeking investment or a bailout.
Academic
Used in political science or economics to critique dependency in international relations.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used humorously or critically about someone constantly asking for money.
Technical
Not used in technical fields like engineering or medicine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “begging bowl”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “begging bowl”
- Using it as a verb (*'to begging bowl').
- Confusing it with 'begging the question' (a logical fallacy).
- Using plural ('begging bowls') inconsistently in the metaphorical sense.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a moderately low-frequency metaphorical expression, primarily found in formal writing about finance, aid, or politics.
Rarely. It typically carries negative or critical connotations of dependency, desperation, or failed self-reliance, even when describing a genuine need.
They are very similar metaphors. 'Cap in hand' focuses more on the posture and attitude of the supplicant, while 'begging bowl' focuses more on the tool/container for receiving aid. They are often used interchangeably.
No, that is incorrect. 'Begging bowl' functions solely as a noun. The correct verbal phrasing is 'to go around with a begging bowl' or 'to hold out the begging bowl'.
A bowl that a beggar holds out to ask for money or food.
Begging bowl is usually formal, journalistic, and political; sometimes used in critical or ironic tones. in register.
Begging bowl: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbeɡɪŋ bəʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbeɡɪŋ boʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to go cap in hand”
- “to pass the hat around”
- “to hold out the begging bowl”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BOWL with the word "BEG" written on it. It's a BEG-GING BOWL.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEED IS AN EMPTY CONTAINER; APPEALING FOR HELP IS PHYSICALLY PRESENTING THAT CONTAINER.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'begging bowl' most likely used literally today?