beslemek

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish بسلمك (beslemek), from an older root bésle-. Related to besin ("food").

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /besleˈmec/
• Hyphenation: bes‧le‧mek

Verb

beslemek (third-person singular simple present besler)

1. to feed, to nourish.

   bu krem ellerimi besliyor - this cream nourishes my hands.

2. to have a pet.

   köpek besliyorum - I have a dog (lit. I am feeding a dog)

3. to ensure someone food.
4. to add, to strengthen

   ateşi kuru odunla besledik - (lit.) we fed the fire with dry woods

5. to make an emotional feeling live in one's heart.

   ona beslediğim aşktan kurtulamıyorum - I cannot get rid of the love that I feel for him/her.

6. to support someone financially.

Conjugation

Derived terms

• besi (“act of feeding or fattening livestock”)
• besici
• beslenmek

References

Further reading

• “beslemek”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Ayverdi, İlhan (2010) “beslemek”, in Misalli Büyük Türkçe Sözlük, a reviewed and expanded single-volume edition, Istanbul: Kubbealtı Neşriyatı