To Ask For It

Idiom: "To Ask For It"

 

Context #1:

 

John:  Man!  What happened to your hand? It's all wrapped up like you just came from the hospital!

Tony:  I got bit by my neighbor's dog this morning.

John:  The dog just attacked you?

Tony:  No, I was teasing the dog and I guess the dog got angry and bit me.

John: That was pretty stupid of you.  You asked for it!

 

Context #2:

 

Paulina:  Guess what?  I got another speeding ticket today.

Kathy: Again?  I thought you were going to start driving more carefully.

Paulina:  Well, I was late for work and to make it on time I had to go like 85mph on the freeway.  I was driving so fast that I had to weave in and out of the cars that were going like 70.

Kathy: You were going 85 on the freeway?  You were asking for a ticket.

 

"To ask for something" is a common idiom used by native speakers.  It means that someone deserved the negative consequences they experienced.  It's the same as saying, "Well, you deserved it."  Practical idioms like this can be learning in LSI Speaking books like "Speaking Savvy," which is used to teach the Level 5 Speaking/Listening classes at Language Systems schools.  For more information please visit: www.languagesystems.com