<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-09-02</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001054298</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ASK JEEVES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ASKJ</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227245</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LOMOND JOHN SCOTT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5858 HORTON STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 350</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EMERYVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94608</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Prior GM of Jeeves Solutions</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
</reportingOwnerRelationship>
</reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeTable>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>12000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>19.5768</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3666</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>7500</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>18.50</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>11166</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>18.50</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>31166</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>14166</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>18.00</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>45332</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>41666</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>19.2042</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3666</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
</nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable>
<derivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>18.50</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>7500</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0.00</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2001-06-19</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2010-06-19</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>7500</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value>
<footnoteId id="F4"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
<derivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>18.50</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0.00</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2002-06-19</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2010-06-19</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>20000</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value>
<footnoteId id="F4"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
<derivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>18.00</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>14166</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0.00</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2000-09-15</value>
<footnoteId id="F3"/>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2010-08-15</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>14166</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value>
<footnoteId id="F4"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
</derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Option is exercisable in a series of installments over the Reporting Person&#146;s Period of Service as follows: 25% will vest on 6/19/2001 and the remainder will vest over three years in a series of monthly installments.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Option is fully vested on 6/19/2002.</footnote>
<footnote id="F3">Option is exercisable in a series of installments over the Reporting Person&#146;s Period of Service as follows: 1/48 of the outstanding shares will vest for each month of service until fully vested on 8/15/2004.</footnote>
<footnote id="F4">No derivative securities are directly held as stock option has expired following cessation of the reporting person&#039;s employment with the Company.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Steve Sordello, Attorney-in-fact for John Scott Lomond</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-09-04</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

