beest

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English

Etymology 1

From Middle English bēst, biest, beost, bist, from Old English bist; equivalent to be +‎ -est. Compare West Frisian bist, German bist.

Alternative forms

Verb

beest

  1. (archaic) second-person singular present indicative or subjunctive of be
    • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :
      Stephano! if thou beest Stephano, touch me, and speake to me: for I am Trinculo; be not afeard, thy good friend Trinculo.
    • a. 1631 (date written), J Donne, “The Baite”, in Poems, with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: M F for Iohn Marriot, , published 1633, →OCLC:
      If thou, to be so seene, beest loath, / By Sunne, or Moone, thou darknest both […].

See also

Etymology 2

From Middle English beest. See beestings.

Noun

beest (plural beests)

  1. beestings, colostrum

Anagrams

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch beeste, from beste, from Old French beste, from Latin bēstia.

Pronunciation

Noun

beest n (plural beesten, diminutive beestje n or (Netherlands, informal) beessie n)

  1. an animal, a beast
    Er zit een beestje in m'n soep. ― There is a bug in my soup.
  2. an animal kept as livestock, a head
  3. (figurative) a cruel, wild, uncivilised, uninhibited or brutal person
    De folteraars van de grenspolitie waren sadistische beesten. ― The torturers of the border police were sadistic beasts.
    Ze is een beest. ― She's a beast in bed.

Usage notes

  • Beest has a somewhat negative (or at least savage) connotation, whereas dier is neutral. However, the diminutives are often affectionate.
  • In compounds, beest can have the meaning “someone who enjoys an activity”; compare English animal in party animal and also beast.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: bees
  • Jersey Dutch: bêst, beîśe
  • Negerhollands: beest
  • → Papiamentu: bichi
  • → Sranan Tongo: beist

Anagrams

Middle English

Noun

beest

  1. Alternative form of beeste

North Frisian

Verb

beest

  1. second-person singular present of wees

West Frisian

Pronunciation

Noun

beest n (plural beesten, diminutive beestje or beestke)

  1. Alternative form of bist
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