be-
be- pref. OE. be-, weak var. of BY, varying in cognate comps. with bī-, e.g. begān surround, begang and bīgeng circuit; = OS. be-, bī́, OHG. bī́- (G. be-, bei-). The main uses are:
A. with verbs, meaning
1.. ‘around, on all sides’, ‘to and fro, in all ways’, as beset, besmear, bestrew (mod. Eng. are bedaub, besmirch);
2.. ‘thoroughly, extremely’, as beseech (early ME.);
3.. ‘off, away’, as behead;
4.. ‘about, over’ (lit. and fig.), as OE. beġēotan sprinkle, bethink;
B. with sbs. and adjs. ‘so as to make what is expressed by them’, as becalm (XVI), befoul (XIV);
C. with sbs. ‘surround or envelop with’, ‘affect with’, as befog (XVII), benight (XVI);
D. with ppl. adjs., often combining uses A (2) and C, as bedabbled, bemused (both mod. Eng.).
A. with verbs, meaning
1.. ‘around, on all sides’, ‘to and fro, in all ways’, as beset, besmear, bestrew (mod. Eng. are bedaub, besmirch);
2.. ‘thoroughly, extremely’, as beseech (early ME.);
3.. ‘off, away’, as behead;
4.. ‘about, over’ (lit. and fig.), as OE. beġēotan sprinkle, bethink;
B. with sbs. and adjs. ‘so as to make what is expressed by them’, as becalm (XVI), befoul (XIV);
C. with sbs. ‘surround or envelop with’, ‘affect with’, as befog (XVII), benight (XVI);
D. with ppl. adjs., often combining uses A (2) and C, as bedabbled, bemused (both mod. Eng.).
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