betimes

English

WOTD – 7 August 2008

Etymology

From Middle English bitimes, from bi (“by”) + time + adverbial -s. Equivalent to betime +‎ -s +‎ [Term?] (adverbial suffix). Compare also betides.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɪˈtaɪmz/, /bəˈtaɪmz/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪmz

Adverb

betimes (not comparable)

1. (dated) In good season or time; early, especially in the morning; seasonably.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 24:5:

     Behold, as wilde asses in the desart, goe they foorth to their worke, rising betimes for a pray: the wildernes yeeldeth food for them, and for their children.

   • 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

     They slept well that night and betimes next morning the mother of Alaeddin arose and went with her bowl to the King's court which she found closed.

   • 1896, A. E. Housman, "To An Athlete Dying Young," in A Shropshire Lad:

     Smart lad to slip betimes away

     From fields where glory does not stay.

   • 1902, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 13, in The Hound of the Baskervilles:

     I was up betimes in the morning, but Holmes was afoot earlier still, for I saw him as I dressed, coming up the drive.

   • 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 786:

     However they dined very early, for the winter dusk fell betimes at this season [...].

2. (archaic) In a short time, soon; quickly, forthwith.
   • 1898, The High History of the Holy Graal, translated by Sebastian Evans, Branch IX, Title II:

     [O]ne prayed God right heartily aloud that He would send them betimes a knight that durst convoy them through this strait pass.

   • 1839, Doctrine and Covenants 121:43^[1]:

     Reproving betimes with sharpness...and afterward showing forth an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved […]

Translations

in good season or time

• Bulgarian: навреме (bg) (navreme), своевременно (bg) (svoevremenno)
• Estonian: vara (et)
• Finnish: aikaisin (fi), pian (fi)
• German: beizeiten (de)
• Irish:

  Old Irish: moch

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Scottish Gaelic: moch
• Spanish: al alba
• Swedish: tidigt (sv)
• Turkish: erken (tr), erkenden (tr), vaktinde (tr), zamanında (tr)