Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To be appropriate for; befit.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To seem.
- To be seemly; be meet.
- To become; be fit for or worthy of.
- To seem fit for.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb Literally: To appear or seem (
well ,ill ,best , etc.) for (one) to do or to have. Hence: To be fit, suitable, or proper for, or worthy of; to become; to befit. - intransitive verb obsolete To seem; to appear; to be fitting.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb archaic, transitive and intransitive To
appear ,seem ,look (with some qualifying word). - verb archaic, transitive and intransitive To be
appropriate or creditable (without qualifying word).
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb accord or comport with
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
-
Prince sat, with his head bowed groundwards, and spake not to any: whereby his father knew that his breast was straitened and bade the cup-companions and men of wit relate marvellous histories, such as beseem the sessions of kings; nor was there one of them but spoke forth the goodliest of that which was with him; but Al-'Abbás still abode with his head bowed down.
Arabian nights. English Anonymous 1855
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“If thou wish for handsome stuffs, I will show them to thee; for I have wares that beseem persons of every condition.”
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It may be thought ill to beseem a military monk such as I to raise his voice where so many noble princes remain silent; but it concerns our whole host, and not least this noble King of England, that he should hear from some one to his face those charges which there are enow to bring against him in his absence.
The Talisman 2008
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Ill would it beseem my habit and my calling, to thrust myself into match-making and giving in marriage, but worse were it in me to see your lordships do needless wrong to the feelings which are proper to our nature, and which, being indulged honestly and under the restraints of religion, become a pledge of domestic quiet here, and future happiness in a better world.
The Monastery 2008
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When that any gan gain this and chooseth one who doth beseem him, naught availeth so greatly for woe of heart.
The Nibelungenlied 2007
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To the twain she said, that weeping did beseem her and naught else better.
The Nibelungenlied 2007
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Tot mundi superstitiones quot coelo stellae, one saith, there be as many superstitions in the world, as there be stars in heaven, or devils themselves that are the first founders of them: with such ridiculous, absurd symptoms and signs, so many several rites, ceremonies, torments and vexations accompanying, as may well express and beseem the devil to be the author and maintainer of them.
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This would still beseem all doughty knights at high festal tides.
The Nibelungenlied 2007
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She clad her and her handmaids with care, as did beseem them.
The Nibelungenlied 2007
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Polo north will beseem Sibernian and Plein Pelouta will behowl ne yerking at lawncastrum ne ghimbelling on guelflinks.
Finnegans Wake 2006
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