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Ask vs Invite - What's the difference?

ask | invite |

Invite is a synonym of ask.



As verbs the difference between ask and invite

is that ask is to request (information, or an answer to a question) while invite is to ask for the presence or participation of someone or something.

As nouns the difference between ask and invite

is that ask is an act or instance of asking while invite is an invitation.

As a proper noun Ask

is the first male human, according to the Poetic Edda.

ask

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) asken, from (etyl) .

Verb

(en verb)
  • To request (information, or an answer to a question).
  • I asked her age.
  • To put forward (a question) to be answered.
  • to ask a question
  • To interrogate or enquire of (a person).
  • I'm going to ask this lady for directions.
  • * Bible, John ix. 21
  • He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
  • To request or petition; usually with for .
  • to ask for a second helping at dinner
    to ask for help with homework
  • * Bible, Matthew vii. 7
  • Ask , and it shall be given you.
  • To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity.
  • What price are you asking for the house?
  • * Addison
  • An exigence of state asks a much longer time to conduct a design to maturity.
  • To invite.
  • Don't ask them to the wedding.
  • To publish in church for marriage; said of both the banns and the persons.
  • (Fuller)
  • (figuratively) To take (a person's situation) as an example.
  • *
  • Usage notes
    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See * Pronouncing ask as /æks/ is a common example of metathesis and a feature of some varieties of English, notably African American Vernacular English (AAVE). * The action expressed by the verb ask'' can also be expressed by the noun-verb combination ''pose a question'' (confer the parallel in German between ''fragen'' and ''eine Frage stellen ).
    Derived terms
    * ask after * ask around * ask for * ask in * ask out * ask over * ask round * for the asking * no questions asked * outask

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act or instance of asking.
  • * 2005 , Laura Fredricks, The ask :
  • To ask for a gift is a privilege, a wonderful expression of commitment to and ownership of the organization. Getting a yes to an ask can be a rush, but asking for the gift can and should be just as rewarding.
  • Something asked or asked for; a request.
  • * 2008 , Doug Fields, Duffy Robbins, Speaking to Teenagers :
  • Communication researchers call this the foot-in-the-door syndrome. Essentially it's based on the observation that people who respond positively to a small “ask'” are more likely to respond to a bigger “' ask ” later on.
  • An asking price.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) aske, arske, from (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An eft; newt.
  • * 1876 , S. Smiles, Scottish Naturalist :
  • He looked at the beast. It was not an eel. It was very like an ask .
  • A lizard.
  • Statistics

    *

    invite

    English

    Verb

  • To ask for the presence or participation of someone or something.
  • We invited our friends round for dinner.
  • To request formally.
  • I invite you all to be seated.
  • To encourage.
  • I always invite criticism of my definitions.
    Wearing that skimpy dress, you are bound to invite attention.
  • * 1902 , Roosevelt,
  • The refusal to maintain such a navy would invite trouble, and if trouble came would insure disaster.
  • To allure; to draw to; to tempt to come; to induce by pleasure or hope; to attract.
  • * Milton
  • to inveigle and invite the unwary sense
  • * Dryden
  • shady groves, that easy sleep invite
  • * Cowper
  • There no delusive hope invites despair.

    Synonyms

    * (ask for the presence or participation of) ask out * (request formally) ask, beseech, entreat, request * (encourage) ask for, encourage, provoke

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) An invitation.