beseem

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English[edit]

WOTD – 22 December 2021

Etymology[edit]

PIE word
*h₁epi

From Middle English bisemen (“to beseem”) [and other forms],[1] from be-, bi- (prefix forming transitive verbs with a completive, figurative, or intensifying sense)[2] + semen (“to seem; to be or see as appropriate; to be visible or apparent; to regard”).[3] Semen is derived from Old Norse sœma (“to conform to; to befit, beseem”), from Proto-Germanic *sōmijaną (“to fit; to unite”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; whole”). The English word is analysable as be- (prefix with an intensifying sense) +‎ seem.[4]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

beseem (third-person singular simple present beseems, present participle beseeming, simple past and past participle beseemed) (transitive, intransitive, archaic)

  1. Generally with a qualifying word such as ill or well: to appear, look, or seem (a certain way for someone or something).
    This inn beseems well for a weary wayfarer.
    • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 110, column 1:
      To ſay the truth, this fact was infamous, / And ill beſeeming any common man; / Much more a Knight, a Captaine, and a Leader.
    • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 19, page 85:
      VVith that, her angels Face, vnſeene afore, / Like to the ruddie morne appeard in ſight, / Deawed with ſiluer drops, through ſweating ſore, / But ſomewhat redder, then beſeem'd aright, / Through toyleſome heate and labour of her weary fight.
    • 1624 (first performance), John Fletcher, Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. A Comoedy. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Leonard Lichfield […], published 1640, →OCLC, Act I, scene [iii], page 8:
      Alt[ea]. Shee would faine marry. / 1. Tis a proper calling, / And well beſeemes her yeares, who would ſhe yoke with?
    • 1643 January 14, “To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. The Humble Petition of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, from Their Meeting at Edinburgh, January 4, 1643 [Julian calendar].”, in The Humble Petition of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly to the Kings Majesty. […], Edinburgh: […] Evan Tyler, […], →OCLC, page 6:
      The Nationall Aſſembly of this Kirk, from which we have our Commiſſion, did promiſe in their thankſgiving for the many favours expreſſed in Your Majeſties Letter, their beſt endeavours to keep the people under their charge, in unity and peace, and in loyalty and obedience to Your Majeſtie and Your Laws, which we confeſſe is a duty well beſeeming the preachers of the Goſpel: […]
    • 1820, John Keats, “Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil. A Story from Boccaccio.”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, stanza XIX, page 58:
      Now they can no more hear thy ghittern's tune, / For venturing syllables that ill beseem / The quiet glooms of such a piteous theme.
    • 1843, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], “The Broken Gittern”, in The Last of the Barons, volume I, London: Saunders and Otley, […], →OCLC, book I (The Adventures of Master Marmaduke Nevile), page 34:
      My good damsel, you are now, I think, out of danger; it would ill beseem you, so young and comely, to go further with one not old enough to be your protector, so, in God's name, depart quickly, […]
    • 1915 July, “Close-ups”, in Photoplay Magazine: The National Movie Publication, volume VIII, number 2, Chicago, Ill.: Photoplay Publishing, →OCLC, page 120:
      The girl is born pretty—and a rebel. […] The mouth, artfully carmined to allure, beseems the red door of a white sepulchre.
  2. Without any qualifying word: to be appropriate or creditable (for someone or something).
    Synonyms: become, befit, suit
    Antonyms: (archaic) misbeseem, (obsolete) unbeseem
    It beseems you not to grumble thus.
    • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], page 114, column 2:
      Giue me their Bodyes, that I may beare them hence / And giue them Buriall, as beſeemes their worth.
    • 1594 (first publication), Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, [Act I]:
      VVell Mortimer, ile make thee rue thoſe vvords. / Beſeemes it thee to contradict thy King?
    • 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto)‎[1], London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:
      Sad pauſe, and deepe regard beſeemes the ſage, / My part is youth and beates theſe from the ſtage.
    • 1597, Richard Hooker, “Lessons Intermingled with Our Prayers”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 2nd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book V, page 254:
      Should wee hereupon frame a rule that what forme of ſpeech or behauiour ſoeuer is fit for ſuters in a Princes Court, the ſame and no other beſeemeth vs in our prayers to Almightie God?
    • 1639, Thomas Fuller, “Henry of Champaigne Chosen King; the Noble Achievements and Victories of King Richard”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book III, page 127:
      King Richard ſeeking to put his courage out of doubt, brought his judgement into queſtion, being more prodigall of his perſon then beſeemed a Generall. One wound he received, but by loſing his bloud he found his ſpirits, and laid about him like a mad-man.
    • 1671, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, pages 45–46, lines 833–836:
      [Nature] hath purvey'd / From all the Elements her choiceſt ſtore / To treat thee as beſeems, and as her Lord / VVith honour, only deign to ſit and eat.
    • 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter V, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 95:
      "Lady," said Cedric, "this beseems not; were further pledge necessary, I myself, offended, and justly offended, as I am, would yet gage my honour for the honour of Ivanhoe.["]
    • 1842, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Legends of the Province House. I.—Howe’s Masquerade.”, in Twice-Told Tales, volume II, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, →OCLC, page 10:
      Trust me, sir, I have already laughed more than beseems my cloth, at your Homeric confabulation with yonder ragamuffin General of the rebels. One other such fit of merriment, and I must throw off my clerical wig and band.
    • 1884, Robert Browning, “A Camel-driver”, in Ferishtah’s Fancies, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 61:
      Man acts as man must: God as God beseems.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ “bisẹ̄men, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ^ “bi-, pref.(2)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  3. ^ “sẹ̄men, v.(2)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  4. ^ “beseem, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2020; “beseem, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
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