beeste

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Afrikaans

Noun

beeste

  1. plural of bees

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old French beste, from Latin bestia.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɛːst(ə)/, /ˈbɛst(ə)/

Noun

beeste (plural beestes)

  1. An animal or creature (life in the kingdom Animalia, sometimes including mankind):
    1. A (landborne and mammalian) quadruped.
    2. A creature used as livestock; a domesticated animal.
      • c. 1335-1361, William of Palerne (MS. King's College 13), folio 6, recto, lines 198-199; republished as W. W. Skeat, editor, The Romance of William of Palerne, London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., 1867, →OCLC, page 12:
        Hit tidde after on a time · as tellus our bokes / as þis bold barn his beſtes · blybeliche keped []
        Afterwards, as our books record, it happened one day that / while this brave child was peacefully looking after his animals
  2. An evil being; a demon or monster.
  3. A beast; a powerful fantastic or mythological creature.
    • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎, published c. 1410, Apocalips 4:7, page 118v, column 2; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
      ⁊ þe firſte beeſte .· liyk a lioun / ⁊ þe ſecounde beeſte .· lijk a calf / ⁊ þe þꝛidde beeſte .· hauynge a face as of a man / ⁊ þe fourþe beeſte .· liyk an egle fleynge
      And the first beast like a lion; and the second beast like a calf; and the third beast had a face like a human; and the fourth beast like an eagle flying.
  4. A person who is merciless or unforgiving.
  5. A simpleton; an ignorant individual.

Descendants

  • English: beast
  • Scots: beast
  • Yola: beast

References