Green’s Dictionary of Slang

see under cheeks n.¹

(W.I.) to ask a woman to whom one is not married for sex; thus give wife v., to permit such an adulterous affair.

1996

Allsopp Dict. Carib. Eng. Usage.

to act in such a manner that unpleasant consequences will (almost) inevitably follow, to ‘ask for trouble’.

1901		Marvel XV:385 Mar. 2: You have asked for it! [...] Now take it!
1903		A. Binstead Pitcher in Paradise 173: He had ‘asked for’ it, and he had got it.
1915		Wodehouse Psmith Journalist (1993) 252: Jack, he said, had shown signs for some time past of asking for it in the neck.
1922		‘Sapper’ Black Gang 432: You really asked for it this time, and I’m afraid you’re going to get it.
1928		W. Winchell Your Broadway & Mine 8 Nov. [synd. col.] Negro slang [...] Ask for: Challenge to battle in terms that don’t mean maybe.
1938		J. Weidman I Can Get It For You Wholesale 25: Okay, pal, you asked for it.
1945		D. Bolster Roll On My Twelve 10: A brilliant Skipper and a damn fine crew, loads of Jerries just asking for it.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 40: Joey had been asking for it, that’s for sure.
1963		G. Lambert Inside Daisy Clover (1966) 133: One of the agents said that Wade had asked for it.
1969		A. Fugard Boesman and Lena Act I: lena: Eina! [...] Watch! He’s going to kill me. boesman: You asking for it tonight, Lena.
1975		J. Wambaugh Choirboys (1976) 142: All the pussy around just teasin a guy with this no bra stuff and tight pants. Shit, they ask for it.
1985		Beano Comic Library No. 79 36: Ugly one is asking for it!
1999		Guardian G2 27 May 5: Men would immediately insist that the woman with the notebook was asking for it.
2000		N. Griffiths Grits 87: Pricks. Juskers a got a bit stroppy with one-a eyr tarts, oo wuz fuckin arskin fer it ennywey.

see under ring n.

a phr. used to deflect a question to which the speaker does not know the answer.

[1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Oct. 48/2: ‘What do they want to wear all this lace for when no one can see it?’ / ‘Oh, ask me something easy,’ snorted the President, dropping a pair of ribbon corsets into a box].
1998		A Dict. of Wubblespeak 🌐 Ask me one on sport – meaning ‘I don’t know what you are talking about’.
2002		‘milkshake’ [blog] 26 Apr. I’m still stuck on Chapter 1 – what is it to be a slave? I know I want to please – that must be a good start. Can’t Dommes just mind read or something? Don’t they teach them to be psychic at Domme school? [...] Can’t we try a different Chapter? Ask me one on sport!

go to hell!

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Bogy, ask bogy, i.e. ask mine a—se (sea wit).
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

a riposte to one who has just recited a riddle or a dated or unfunny joke.

1888		‘’Arry on Marriage’ in Punch 29 Sept. 156/1: Is marriage a failure, my pippin? ‘Oh, ask me another,’ sez you.
1891		in Punch 11 Apr. 169: Do I know the taste of absinthe? How dare you ask me such a question? Am I a woman? Ask me another.
1894		Sth Wales Dly 5 Mar. 4/6: And what shall I say of next week? Swansea v. Merriston [...] Want to know who’ll win? Ask me another.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
1923		P. MacGill Moleskin Joe 233: Gawr! If they haven’t made an ass of you, ask me another!
1929		Western Dly Press 28 May 7/3: Solicitor: What are your husband’s wages? Wife: Ask me another.
1939		B. Appel Power-House 15: Ask me anodder.