Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Be-siege', v. t. p. 127To beset or surround with armed forces, for the purpose of compelling to surrender; to beleaguer; to beset. Till Paris was besieged, famished, and lost. Shak. Syn.—To beleaguer; beset; environ; hem…Be-siēge'ment, n. p. 127Act of besieging; state of being besieged. Golding.Be-siēg'er, n. p. 127One who lays siege, or is employed in a siege. Swift.Be-siēg'ing-ly, adv. p. 127In a besieging manner.Be-sīt', v. t. p. 127To suit; to fit; to become. [Obs.] Spenser.Be-slūb'ber, v. t. p. 127To beslaver.Be-slāve′, v. t. p. 127To subjugate; to enslave. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Be-slāv'er, v. t. p. 127To defile with slaver; to beslabber.Be-slīme', v. t. p. 127To daub with slime; to soil. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Be-slōb'ber or Be-slūb'ber, v. t. p. 127To soil or smear with spittle running from the mouth. [Vulgar.] Shak.Be-smēar', v. t. p. 127To smear or overspread with any viscous, glutinous matter; to bedaub; to make foul; to soil. “Besmeared with precious balm.” Spenser.Be-smēar'er, n. p. 127One who besmears.Be-smirch', v. t. p. 127To soil; to discolor; to obscure. [Obs.] Shak.Be-smōke', v. t. p. 127To foul with smoke. 2. To harden or dry in smoke. Johnson.Be-smūt', v. t. p. 127To blacken with smut; to foul with soot. Chaucer.Be-snōw′, v. t. p. 127To scatter like snow. [Obs. and rare.] Gower. 2. To cover with snow; to whiten with snow or as with snow. Carew.Be-snŭff', v. t. p. 127To befoul with snuff. [Rare.] Young.Be-sōgn'io, n. p. 127A beggar; a bezonian. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Bē'som, n. p. 127A brush of twigs for sweeping; a broom. “The housemaid with her besom.” W. Irving.Bē'som, v. t. p. 127To sweep, as with a besom. Cowper. Rolls back all Greece, and besoms wide the plain. Barlow.Bĕs'om-er, n. p. 127One who uses a besom.Be-sōrt', v. t. p. 127To sort out or arrange in different classes or kinds; to arrange appropriately or suitably; hence, to suit, fit, or become. “Such men as may besort your age.” Shak.Be-sŏrt′, n. p. 127Something befitting or correspondent; hence, associates, attendants. [Obs.] With such accommodation and besort As levels with her breeding. Shak.Be-sŏt′, v. t. p. 127To make sottish by drink; hence, to make dull or stupid; to infatuate. “Fools besotted with their crimes.” Butler. 2. To make to dote. [Rare.] I might thus break off our brother's besotted devotion…Be-sŏt'ted-ly, adv. p. 127In a besotted or infatuated manner. Milton.Be-söt'ted-ness, n. p. 127The state of being besotted; infatuation. Milton.Be-sŏt'ting-ly, adv. p. 127In a besotting manner.Be-sóught', p. p. p. 127of beseech.Be-spăn'gle, v. t. p. 127To adorn with spangles; to dot or sprinkle with something brilliant. “The heavens bespangling with disheveled light.” Pope.Be-spăt'ter, v. t. p. 127To soil by spattering; to sprinkle with water, or with dirt and water. 2. To asperse with calumny or reproach. Whom never faction could bespatter. Swift.Be-spawl', v. t. p. 127To daub, soil, or make foul with spittle. Milton.Be-spēak', v. t. p. 127To speak for beforehand; to order or engage against a future time. Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favor. W. Scott. 2. To indicate or show beforehand; to…Be-spēak'er, n. p. 128One who bespeaks.Be-spēck'le, v. t. p. 128To mark with speckles or spots. Milton.Be-spew', v. t. p. 128To soil or daub with spew. Ogilvie.Be-spīce′, v. t. p. 128To season with spices. Shak.Be-spīrt' or Be-spūrt', v. t. p. 128To spurt out or over; to throw out in a stream or streams. [Obs.] Milton.Be-spĭt', v. t. p. 128To daub or soil with spittle. Johnson.Be-spōke', imp. & p. p. p. 128of bespeak.Be-spōt', v. t. p. 128To mark with spots. Mortimer.Be-spread′, v. t. p. 128To spread or cover over. The carpet which bespread His rich pavilion’s floor. Glover.Be-sprĕnt’, p. p. p. 128Sprinkled over. His face besprent with liquid crystal shines. Shenstone.Be-sprēnt', v. t. p. 128To sprinkle over. [Obs.] Holland.Be-sprĭnk'le, v. t. p. 128To sprinkle over; to scatter over. The bed besprinkles, and bedews the ground. Dryden.Be-sprink'ler, n. p. 128One that sprinkles over.Be-sprink'lings, n. pl. p. 128Sprinklings.Bĕst, a. superl. p. 128Having good qualities in the highest degree; most good; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities. When he is best, he is little more than a man. Shak. Heaven's last, best…Bēst, n. p. 128Utmost; highest endeavor; as, to do one's best; to the best of our ability. At best, in the utmost degree or extent applicable to the case; as, life is at best very short.—For best, finally. [Obs.]…Bĕst, adv. p. 128In the highest degree; beyond all other; as, to love one best. “That name best befits thee.” Milton. 2. To the most advantage; with the most success, profit, ease, benefit, or propriety. “Had we best…Be-stāin’, v. t. p. 128To mark with stains; to discolor, either the whole surface of a thing, or in spots. And all with blood bestain his cheeks. Shak.Be-stēad' (-stēd'), v. t. p. 128To place, or dispose, or circumstance, as to condition, convenience, benefit, and the like; to situate; to assist; to serve. How little you bestead Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys. Milton.…Bĕs'tial, a. p. 128Belonging to a beast, or to the class of beasts. “Among the bestial herds to range.” Milton. 2. Having the qualities of a beast; brutal; below the dignity of reason or humanity; carnal. “A bestial…Bes-tiăl'i-ty, n. p. 128The quality of a beast; brutism. Arbuthnot. 2. Unnatural connection with a beast.Bēs'tial-ize, v. t. p. 128To make bestial, or like a beast. The process of bestializing humanity. Hare.Bĕs'tial-ly, adv. p. 128In a manner like that of a beast, or below that of humanity.Be-stick’, v. t. p. 128To stick over, as with sharp points; to mark by infixing points or spots here and there. Truth shall retire, bestuck with slanderous darts. Milton.Be-stir', v. t. p. 128To put into brisk or vigorous action; to move with life and vigor; — usually with the reciprocal pronoun. “You have so bestirred your valor.” Shak. Rouse, and bestir themselves ere well awake. Milton.Bĕst'ness, n. p. 128The state of being best, or most excellent. [Obs.] Morton.Be-stôrm', v. i. p. 128To be in violent agitation; to toss; to rage. Young.Be-storm', v. t. p. 128To overtake with a storm. “Boats bestormed.” Davenant.