Part 1067

<blockquote>Paul, thou art <b>beside thyself</b>. <i> Acts xxvi. 24.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- <er>Beside</er>, <er>Besides</er>.</syn> <usage> These words, whether used as prepositions or adverbs, have been considered strictly synonymous, from an early period of our literature, and have been freely interchanged by our best writers. There is, however, a tendency, in present usage, to make the following distinction between them: 1. That <i>beside</i> be used only and always as a preposition, with the original meaning "by the side of; " as, to sit <i>beside</i> a fountain; or with the closely allied meaning "aside from", "apart from", or "out of"; as, this is <i>beside</i> our present purpose; to be <i>beside</i> one's self with joy. The adverbial sense to be wholly transferred to the cognate word. 2. That <i>besides</i>, as a preposition, take the remaining sense "in addition to", as, <i>besides</i> all this; <i>besides</i> the considerations here offered. "There was a famine in the land besides the first famine." <i>Gen. xxvi. 1</i>. And that it also take the adverbial sense of "moreover", "beyond", etc., which had been divided between the words; as, <i>besides</i>, there are other considerations which belong to this case. The following passages may serve to illustrate this use of the words: --

<blockquote>Lovely Thais sits <b>beside</b> thee. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Only be patient till we have appeased The multitude, <b>beside</b> themselves with fear. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>It is <b>beside</b> my present business to enlarge on this speculation. <i>Locke.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote><b>Besides</b> this, there are persons in certain situations who are expected to be charitable. <i>Bp. Porteus.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>And, <b>besides</b>, the Moor May unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>That man that does not know those things which are of necessity for him to know is but an ignorant man, whatever he may know <b>besides</b>. <i>Tillotson.</i></blockquote> </usage>

<note>See <er>Moreover</er>.</note>

<h1>Besides, Beside</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw><hw>Be*sides"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Be*side"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[OE. Same as <ets>beside</ets>, prep.; the ending <ets>-s</ets> is an adverbial one, prop. a genitive sign.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>On one side.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer. Shak.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>More than that; over and above; not included in the number, or in what has been mentioned; moreover; in addition.</def>

<blockquote>The men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any <b>besides</b> ? <i>Gen. xix. 12.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>To all <b>beside</b>, as much an empty shade, An Eugene living, as a C\'91sar dead. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; These sentences may be considered as elliptical.</note>

<h1>Besides</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*sides</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>prep.</tt> <def>Over and above; separate or distinct from; in addition to; other than; else than. See <er>Beside</er>, <i>prep</i>., 3, and Syn. under <er>Beside</er>.</def>

<blockquote><b>Besides</b> your cheer, you shall have sport. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Besiege</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*siege"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Besieged</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Besieging</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>bisegen</ets>; pref. <ets>be-</ets> + <ets>segen</ets> to siege. See <er>Siege</er>.]</ety> <def>To beset or surround with armed forces, for the purpose of compelling to surrender; to lay siege to; to beleaguer; to beset.</def>

<blockquote>Till Paris was <b>besieged</b>, famished, and lost. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- To environ; hem in; invest; encompass.</syn>

<h1>Besiegement</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*siege"ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The act of besieging, or the state of being besieged.</def>

<i>Golding.</i>

<h1>Besieger</h1> <Xpage=139>

<hw>Be*sie"ger</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who besieges; -- opposed to <i>the besieged</i>.</def>