Part 1064

<h1>Besee</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*see"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t. & i.</tt> <ety>[AS. <ets>bese\'a2n</ets>; pref. <ets>be-</ets> + <ets><?/e\'a2n</ets> to see.]</ety> <def>To see; to look; to mind.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Wyclif.</i>

<h1>Beseech</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seech"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Besought</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Beseeching</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>bisechen</ets>, <ets>biseken</ets> (akin to G. <ets>besuchen</ets> to visit); pref. <ets>be-</ets> + <ets>sechen</ets>, <ets>seken</ets>, to seek. See <er>Seek</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To ask or entreat with urgency; to supplicate; to implore.</def>

<blockquote>I <b>beseech</b> you, punish me not with your hard thoughts. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>But Eve . . . <b>besought</b> his peace. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- To beg; to crave.</syn> <usage> -- <er>To Beseech</er>, <er>Entreat</er>, <er>Solicit</er>, <er>Implore</er>, <er>Supplicate</er>. These words agree in marking that sense of want which leads men to beg some favor. To <i>solicit</i> is to make a request, with some degree of earnestness and repetition, of one whom we address as a superior. To <i>entreat</i> implies greater urgency, usually enforced by adducing reasons or arguments. To <i>beseech</i> is still stronger, and belongs rather to the language of poetry and imagination. To <i>implore</i> denotes increased fervor of entreaty, as addressed either to equals or superiors. To <i>supplicate</i> expresses the extreme of entreaty, and usually implies a state of deep humiliation. Thus, a captive <i>supplicates</i> a conqueror to spare his life. Men <i>solicit</i> by virtue of their interest with another; they <i>entreat</i> in the use of reasoning and strong representations; they <i>beseech</i> with importunate earnestness; they <i>implore</i> from a sense of overwhelming distress; they <i>supplicate</i> with a feeling of the most absolute inferiority and dependence.</usage>

<h1>Beseech</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seech"</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Solicitation; supplication.</def> <mark>[Obs. or Poetic]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Beseecher</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seech"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who beseeches.</def>

<h1>Beseeching</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seech"ing</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Entreating urgently; imploring; <as>as, a <ex>beseeching</ex> look</as>.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>Be*seech"ing*ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt> -- <wf>Be*seech"ing*ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Beseechment</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seech"ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The act of beseeching or entreating earnestly.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Goodwin.</i>

<h1>Beseek</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seek"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To beseech.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Beseem</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seem"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Beseemed</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Beseeming</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Pref. <ets>be-</ets> + <ets>seem</ets>.]</ety> <def>Literally: To appear or seem (<i>well</i>, <i>ill</i>, <i>best</i>, etc.) for (one) to do or to have. Hence: To be fit, suitable, or proper for, or worthy of; to become; to befit.</def>

<blockquote>A duty well <b>beseeming</b> the preachers. <i>Clarendon.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>What form of speech or behavior <b>beseemeth</b> us, in our prayers to God ? <i> Hocker.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Beseem</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*seem"</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To seem; to appear; to be fitting.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark> "As <i>beseemed</i> best."

<i>Spenser.</i>