bespeech

English

Etymology

From be- (“on; at”) +‎ speech.

Verb

bespeech (third-person singular simple present bespeeches, present participle bespeeching, simple past and past participle bespeeched)

1. (transitive) To address in speech
   • 1822, Alexander Pope, The Recreative Review:

     When James the First had once bespeeched his parliament, Bishop Williams, Keeper of the Great Seal, added — that, after his Majesty's divinum et immortale dictum, he would not dare mortale aliquid addere.

   • 1826, The Dublin and London magazine:

     [...] his best bow followed, and then he proceeded to bespeech the great personage.

   • 1876, John Mitchel, Jail Journal; Or, Five Years in British Prisons:

     I must confess this is an inconstant people, especially to distinguished strangers: after bepraising them, bedining them, and bespeeching them, lest the rogues should, on their return to Europe, repay their hospitality by abusing them, as Dickens and Moore and others of that kidney did they take time with the whiphand, and anticipate the poor devil they have honoured by immediately abusing him themselves—[...]

   • 1938, Seamus MacCall, Irish Mitchel:

     Then, charging the Americans with inconstancy in their treatment of distinguished strangers, he said: "After bepraising them, bedining them, and bespeeching them, they take time with the whip hand and — lest their visitors should, on their return to Europe, repay their hospitality by abusing them, as Dickens and Moore did — anticipate the poor devil they have honoured by abusing him themselves.' "

   • 1970, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, volume 39:

     "Yiss." The swami oozes in, now wearing only a rather dirty dhoti. "I came to bespeech you again — " His eyes widen.

   • 2007, Stanley Martin, The Book of Love:

     O! a welcome to your kitchen table: a little, night bespeeches the char of day; [...]