besta

See also: bêsta, bestå, and bésta

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aː

Verb

besta

1. (deprecated template usage) first-person singular present indicative of bestaan
2. (deprecated template usage) (archaic) singular present subjunctive of bestaan
3. (deprecated template usage) imperative of bestaan

Anagrams

• baste, batse

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Galician

bestas bravas ("wild horses") in Galicia

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese besta, probably borrowed from Latin bēstia (“beast”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbesta̝/

Noun

besta f (plural bestas)

1. beast (quadruped animal)
2. horse or any other equine
   • 1326, Antonio López Ferreiro (ed.), Galicia Histórica. Colección diplomática. Santiago: Tipografía Galaica, page 295:

     pelas bestas de caualgar et carrega

     for the animals [used] for riding or for carrying load

3. mare
4. (figuratively) brute

Synonyms

• (mare): egua
• (brute): bruto

Derived terms

• besta brava (“wild horse”)

Etymology 2

From Old Galician-Portuguese baesta (“crossbow”), from Latin ballista, from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα (ballístra)

Alternative forms

• bestra

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛsta̝/

Noun

besta f (plural bestas)

1. ham (back of the thigh)

Derived terms

• balistrón

References

• Template:R:DDGM
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “besta”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG
• Template:R:DDLG
• Template:R:TILG
• “besta” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.

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Old Portuguese

Alternative forms

• bestia
• bescha

Etymology

Probably borrowed from Latin bēstia (“beast”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbes̺.ta/

Noun

besta f

1. beast (a non-human animal, especially large vertebrate quadrupeds)
   • 13th century CE, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 124 (facsimile):

     aue nen beſta dele non comiu per ren.

     Neither bird nor beast would eat him for anything.

2. beast of burden, donkey
   • 13th century CE, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 147 (facsimile):

     a beſtia de balaam

     Balaam's donkey

Synonyms

• (beast): animalia, animalla

Descendants

• Galician: besta
• Portuguese: besta

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Portuguese

Etymology 1

From Old Galician-Portuguese besta, probably borrowed from Latin bēstia (“beast”). Doublet of bicha.

Alternative forms

• bêsta (obsolete, noun only)

Pronunciation

Noun:

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeʃ.tɐ/

Verb:

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛʃ.tɐ/

• Hyphenation: bes‧ta

Noun

besta f (plural s)

1. beast (any large animal)
2. beast of burden (animal used to transport cargo)
3. ass (any of several species of horse-like animals)
4. (derogatory) fool; idiot (stupid person)
5. (euphemistic) the Beast; Satan
6. (by extension) a monster

Synonyms

• (beast): animal, bicho, vertebrado, quadrúpede, fera
• (beast of burden): besta-de-carga
• (ass): asno, burro, jumento
• (fool): tongo, burro, jumento, estúpido, idiota, bestalhão, paspalhão, tonto, abestado
• (Satan): Satã, demônio, Diabo, Satanás

Derived terms

• besta-de-carga
• besta-fera
• bestar
• besteira
• bestice
• bestidade
• bestificar

 

Related terms

• bestial
• bestialidade
• bestialização
• bestializado
• bestializar
• bestialogia
• bestialógico
• bestificação
• bestificado
• bestificante
• bicha
• bicho

 

Verb

besta

1. Template:pt-verb-form-of

Etymology 2

From Old Galician-Portuguese baesta (“crossbow”), from Latin ballista, from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα (ballístra). Not related to above meaning of Satan (folk etymology).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛʃ.tɐ/
• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛs.tɐ/, (nonstandard, but very common) /ˈbes.tɐ/

Noun

besta f (plural s)

1. crossbow (weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock)

Related terms

• balestra
• balista
• besteiro

See also

• arco, seta