Part 632

Behold, I send an Angel before thee. . . . Beware of him, and obey his voice. Ex. xxiii. 20, 21.

This word is a compound from be and the Old English ware, now wary, which is an adjective. "Be ye war of false prophetis." Wyclif, Matt. vii. 15. It is used commonly in the imperative and infinitive modes, and with such auxiliaries (shall, should, must, etc.) as go with the infinitive.

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Be*ware" (b*wâr"), v. t. To avoid; to take care of; to have a care for. [Obs.] "Priest, beware your beard." Shak.

To wish them beware the son. Milton.

Be*wash" (&?;), v. t. To drench or souse with water. "Let the maids bewash the men." Herrick.

Be*weep" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewept (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Beweeping.] [AS. bew&?;pan; pref. be- + weep.] To weep over; to deplore; to bedew with tears. "His timeless death beweeping." Drayton.

Be*weep", v. i. To weep. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Be*wet" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewet, Bewetted.] To wet or moisten. Gay.

Be*whore" (&?;), v. t. 1. To corrupt with regard to chastity; to make a whore of. J. Fletcher.

2. To pronounce or characterize as a whore. Shak.

Be*wig" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewigged (&?;).] To cover (the head) with a wig. Hawthorne.

Be*wil"der (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewildered (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bewildering.] [Pref. be- + wilder.] To lead into perplexity or confusion, as for want of a plain path; to perplex with mazes; or in general, to perplex or confuse greatly.

Lost and bewildered in the fruitless search. Addison.

Syn. -- To perplex; puzzle; entangle; confuse; confound; mystify; embarrass; lead astray.

Be*wil"dered (&?;), a. Greatly perplexed; as, a bewildered mind.

Be*wil"dered*ness (&?;), n. The state of being bewildered; bewilderment. [R.]

Be*wil"der*ing (&?;), a. Causing bewilderment or great perplexity; as, bewildering difficulties. -- Be*wil"der*ing*ly, adv.

Be*wil"der*ment (&?;), n. 1. The state of being bewildered.

2. A bewildering tangle or confusion.

He . . . soon lost all traces of it amid bewilderment of tree trunks and underbrush. Hawthorne.

Be*win"ter (&?;), v. t. To make wintry. [Obs.]

Bew"it (&?;), n. [Cf. OF. buie bond, chain, fr. L. boja neck collar, fetter. Cf. Buoy.] A double slip of leather by which bells are fastened to a hawk's legs.

Be*witch" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewitched (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bewitching.] 1. To gain an ascendency over by charms or incantations; to affect (esp. to injure) by witchcraft or sorcery.

See how I am bewitched; behold, mine arm Is like a blasted sapling withered up. Shak.

2. To charm; to fascinate; to please to such a degree as to take away the power of resistance; to enchant.

The charms of poetry our souls bewitch. Dryden.

Syn. -- To enchant; captivate; charm; entrance.