question-begging

English

Etymology

From begging the question. First attested in the nineteenth century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɛst͡ʃənˌbɛɡɪŋ/

Adjective

question-begging (not comparable)

1. (chiefly attributive) begging the question; logically circular.

   They got sick of his question-begging punditry.

   • 1886 [1882], Henry James, The Point of View‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.:

     Vulgarity is a stupid, superficial, question-begging accusation, which has become today the easiest refuge of mediocrity.

   • 1962 August, “British Railways in 1961—a working loss of £87 million”, in Modern Railways, page 91:

     On traction, the Report adds little to existing knowledge, save a question-begging observation that "enough experience has been gained on electric and hydraulic transmission systems to enable conclusions to be drawn on the relative merits of each."

Noun

question-begging (uncountable)

1. The act of begging the question.