expression, godan verb (-u, special)
tender one's resignation; resign
Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'to beg for one's skeleton', used when someone formally offers to resign from a position, often in a self-deprecating or humble manner.
責任を取って、社長は骸骨を乞うた。
Taking responsibility, the company president tendered his resignation.
辞任する is a neutral, straightforward term for resigning from a post, while 骸骨を乞う is a formal, idiomatic expression with a humble, self-deprecating nuance.
The phrase literally means 'to beg for one's skeleton', suggesting a humble request to be released from one's duties. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a set idiomatic expression in formal contexts.