From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishI beg your pardonI beg your pardonspoken a) REPEATused to ask someone to repeat what they have just said ‘The meeting’s on Wednesday.’ ‘I beg your pardon?’ ‘I said the meeting’s on Wednesday.’ b) SORRY/APOLOGIZEused to say sorry when you have made a mistake, or said something wrong or embarrassing Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you said 15 pence, not 50. c) DISAGREEused to show that you strongly disagree with something that someone has said, or think it is unacceptable ‘Chicago’s an awful place.’ ‘I beg your pardon, that’s where I’m from!’ → beg
Examples from the Corpus
I beg your pardon• "East Coast people are kind of uptight, aren't they?" "I beg your pardon!"• Oh, I beg your pardon. Are you all right?• "That's my pen." "Oh, I beg your pardon - I thought it was mine.''• "And the year of your birth?" "I beg your pardon?" "When were you born?" 