beg off

So I think we shouldn't beg off the responsibility to understand it.

Convention planners wanted him to kick off Monday night’s prime time programming, but the governor begged off.

When the jury asked two pointed questions Wednesday afternoon about two key pieces of evidence in the case, Brinkema begged off providing a substantive answer.

Lots of my good colleagues begged off signing this petition, admitting to men that they were afraid of potential reprisals, both professional and personal.

Four years ago, using a walker after being temporarily paralyzed by Guillain-Barré syndrome, Murray begged off meeting me until he could recuperate.