beseech definition

English

Alternative forms

• beseek

Etymology

From Middle English besechen, bisechen, prefixed form of Old English sēċan (“to seek or inquire about”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian besäike (“to visit”), Dutch bezoeken (“to visit, attend, see”), German besuchen (“to visit, attend, see”), Swedish besöka (“to visit, go to see”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: bĭ-sēchʹ, IPA^(key): /bɪˈsiːt͡ʃ/

• Audio (UK)

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• Rhymes: -iːtʃ

Verb

beseech (third-person singular simple present beseeches, present participle beseeching, simple past and past participle beseeched or besought)

1. to beg or implore (a person)
   • 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral, London, Oxford University Press, 1973, § 25:

     after what manner, I beseech you, must the mind proceed in this operation?

   • 1888, Rudyard Kipling, ‘Watches of the Night’, Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio 2005, p. 61:

     She besought him, for his Soul's sake to speak the truth.

   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 31

     Panting a little in his haste, he told her how miserable he was; he besought her to have mercy on him; he promised, if she would forgive him, to do everything she wanted.

   • 2019 December 10, Yacht Club Games, Shovel Knight: King of Cards, Nintendo 3DS, level/area: Royal Pond:

     [King Knight defeats the Troupple King.] / Troupple Acolyte: 'HALT! I BESEECH THEE! PLEASE, NO MORE!'

2. to request or beg for
   • 1990, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (translators), Fyodor Dostoevsky (author), The Brothers Karamazov, San Francisco, North Point Press, →ISBN, page 657:

     […] the tickets had all been given out, begged, besought long ago.

Related terms

• seek

Translations

Noun

beseech (plural beseeches)

1. (archaic) A request.
   • 1617, pseudo-Francis Beaumont; John Fletcher; George Chapman; Ben Jonson; Philip Massinger, Rollo, Duke of Normandy, or the Bloody Brother, Act IV, Scene III:

     Good madam, hear the suit that Edith urges, With such submiss beseeches; [...]

Anagrams

• Beeches, beeches, beseche