An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 67

BEST, _part. pa._ Perhaps, fluttering, or shaken.

_Barbour._

Isl. _beyst-i_, concutio.

BEST, _s._ "Beast, any animal not human," Gl. Wynt.

_Wyntown._

The term is still used in this general sense, S. p.r.o.nounced q.

_baist_. S. B.

BEST-MAN, _s._ Brideman; as _best-maid_ is bride-maid; from having the _princ.i.p.al_ offices in waiting on the bride, S.

b.e.s.t.i.a.l, (_off Tre_) _s._ An engine for a siege.

_Wallace._

It seems uncertain, whether this word be formed from Lat.

_b.e.s.t.i.a.lis_, as at first applied to the engines called _rams_, _sows_, &c., or from Fr. _bastille_, a tower; L. B. _bastillae_.

b.e.s.t.i.a.lITe, _s._ Cattle.

_Complaynt S._

L. B. _b.e.s.t.i.a.lia_, pecudes; Fr. _bestail_.

BESTREIK, _part. pa._ Drawn out; _gold bestreik_, gold wire or twist.

_Burel._

Teut. _be-streck-en_, extendere.

BESTURTED, _part. pa._ Startled, alarmed, afrighted, S.

Germ. _besturz-en_, to startle; _besturzt seyn_, to be startled.

Ihre views Isl. _stird-r_, rigid, immoveable, as the root.

BESWAKIT, _part. pa._ Apparently, soaked, drenched.

_Dunbar._

Isl. _sock_, mergor, _saukv-a_, mergi.

_To_ BESWEIK, _v. a._ To allure; to beguile; to deceive.

A. S. _swic-an_, _beswic-an_, Isl. _svik-ia_. Alem. _bisuich-en_, Su. G. _swik-a_, Germ. _schwick-en_, id.

BET, _pret._ Struck.

_Gawan and Gol._

A. S. _beat-an_, Su. G. _bet-a_; _tu bete_, thou hast struck.

BET, BETT, _pret._ and _part._ Helped, supplied.

V. ~Beit~.

BET, _part. pa._ Built, erected.

_Douglas._

This is a secondary and oblique sense of the _v._ _Beit_, q. v.

BET, _adj._ Better.

_King's Quair._

A. S. _bet_, Teut. _bat_, _bet_, melius, potius, magis; Alem. _bas_, _baz_, melior, the compar. of _bat_, bonus. A. S. _bet-an_, emendare, and the other synon. verbs in the Northern languages, have been viewed as originating the term. _Bet_, indeed, seems to be merely the past part., mended, i. e. made _better_.

BETANE, _part. pa._ Perhaps, inclosed.

_Barbour._

A. S. _betien-en_, _betyn-an_, to inclose, to shut up.

BETAUCHT, BETUK, Delivered, committed in trust; delivered up.

V. ~Betech~.

_To_ BETECH, BETEACH, _v. a._ To deliver up, to consign; _betuk_, pret.

_betaucht_, pret. and part. pa.