beseeming

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English beseem

Proto-Indo-European *-onts

Proto-Germanic *-andz

Proto-West Germanic *-andī

Old English -ende

▲

Middle English -yngeinflu.

Middle English -ynge

English -ing

English beseeming

From beseem + -ing.

Adjective

beseeming (comparative more beseeming, superlative most beseeming)

1. Becoming, befitting, suitable.
   • 1717, Samuel Croxall, “Book VI. [The Story of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela.]”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 202:

     Her Veſt, with Flow'rs of Gold embroider'd o'er, / With Grief diſtreſs'd, the mournful Matron tore, / And a beſeeming Suit of gloomy Sable wore.

Derived terms

• beseemingly
• beseemingness

Noun

beseeming (usually uncountable, plural beseemings) (obsolete)

1. Appearance; look.
   • 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi], page 398, column 2:

     I am Sir / The Souldier that did company theſe three / In poor beſeeming: 't was a fitment for / The purpoſe I then follow'd.

   • 1843, [Henry Barkley Henderson], “The Mud Fort”, in The Bengalee or Sketches of Society in the East. […], new edition, volume I, Calcutta, West Bengal: W. Rushton, →OCLC, pages 330–331:

     His sword fell from his grasp—his eye, late glaring with the ire of a stricken tiger,—his brow, late speaking but death, and dark defiance, suddenly sank into the soft beseeming of gratefulness, and of betokened kindness and feeling.

2. gerund of beseem: a comely appearance; attractiveness.

Verb

beseeming

1. present participle and gerund of beseem