belove

From Middle English belove, from Old English belāf, first and third person singular past indicative of belīfan (“to remain”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bɪˈləʊv/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /bɪˈloʊv/
• Rhymes: -əʊv

belove

1. simple past of belive

From Middle English beloven, biluven (“to love greatly, please”), equivalent to be- +‎ love. Compare Dutch believen (“to please, gratify”), German belieben (“to like, wish, please”). More at love.

• IPA^(key): /bɪˈlʌv/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌv

belove (third-person singular simple present beloves, present participle beloving, simple past and past participle beloved)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To please.
2. (transitive, stative, obsolete) To be pleased with; like.
3. (transitive, stative, obsolete) To love.
   • 1547, The Order of the Communion. With the Kings Majesties Proclamation, London: Imprinted [...] by Richard Grafton, →OCLC, page 4:

     Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye coming to his holy Communion, must consider what St. Paul writeth to the Corinthians, how he exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves, or ever they presume to eat of this bread, and drink of this Cup: […]

   • 1747, Thomas Birch, “William Lord Russel”, in The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraven by Mr. Houbraken, and Mr. Vertue. With Their Lives and Characters, volume I, London: Printed for John and Paul Knapton, →OCLC, page 124:

     He [William Russell, Lord Russell] was a man of great candour and of a general reputation, univerſally beloved and truſted; of a generous and obliging temper.

   • 1760, Delahay Gordon, “The Life and Death of Mary Queen of Scots”, in A General History of the Lives, Trials, and Executions of All the Royal and Noble Personages, that have Suffered in Great-Britain and Ireland for High Treason, or Other Crimes, from the Accession of Henry VIII. to the Throne of England, down to the Present Time; , volume II, London: Printed for J. Burd, opposite St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet-Street, →OCLC, page 108:

     eing a plain and honeſt-minded man, […] he [Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox] loſt the favour of the French king in a ſhort time; and, when he could neither continue at home, nor return into France, he came into England, and ſubmitted himſelf to Henry VIII, who accepted him as a man well-beloved in the weſt borders, and acknowledged him as next heir to the crown of Scotland, after Mary then an infant, […]

• beloved

belove

1. (dated or formal) singular present subjunctive of beloven