Obs. [Only in phrase a-begged, -eth; f. BEG v. Prof. Skeat takes the original form as beggeth, formed in imitation of ‘a hunteth’ (used by Robt. Glouc. in ‘to wende an honteth’), from OE. huntað sb. ‘hunting,’ the ending -eth being extended in ME. to other verbs, and confused in form with the pa. pple. See other instances in Skeat’s ed. of Chaucer’s Man of Law’s T., 146.] In phrase To go a-begged: to go a begging.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 852. To goon a begged in my kirtle bare.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IX. 137. Folk that gon a-begged [v.r. abegged, a-beggyd, abeggeþ, beggen].
