ask for it

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

ask for it (third-person singular simple present asks for it, present participle asking for it, simple past and past participle asked for it)

1. (idiomatic, informal) To provoke an unwanted action; to invite a problem or fail to prevent one.

   Synonyms: ask for trouble, look for trouble

   Leaving your wallet visible on the car seat is just asking for it.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see ask for,‎ it.

   If you'd like a fresh towel at any point during your stay, just ask for it.

Related terms

• get what one asked for

Translations

provoke an unwanted action

• Dutch: erom vragen
• Finnish: kerjätä sitä, kaivaa verta nenästään
• French: le chercher, chercher la merde (fr)
• Italian: cercare rogne, andare in cerca di guai, andare in cerca di rogne, cercarsela
• Polish: o to prosić
• Portuguese: procurar sarna para se coçar, estar a pedi-las
• Romanian: căuta cu lumânarea, căuta pe dracul
• Russian: напра́шиваться (ru) impf (naprášivatʹsja), напроси́ться (ru) pf (naprosítʹsja), лезть на рожо́н (ru) (leztʹ na rožón)
• Swedish: tigga om det
• Ukrainian: напроситися (naprosytysja)

See also

• have it coming
• just deserts
• play with fire
• serve someone right