begging bowl

English

Noun

begging bowl (plural begging bowls)

1. A bowl held by a beggar seeking money and food.
2. (figurative) Used in reference to a plea for help.

   Portugal has gone to the British government with a begging bowl asking for relaxation of quarantine restrictions.

References

• “begging bowl”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “begging bowl”, in Collins English Dictionary.