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besought

[bih-sawt]
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verb
  1. a simple past tense and past participle of beseech.
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Related formsun·be·sought, adjective

beseech

[bih-seech]
verb (used with object), be·sought or be·seeched, be·seech·ing.
  1. to implore urgently: They besought him to go at once.
  2. to beg eagerly for; solicit.
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verb (used without object), be·sought or be·seeched, be·seech·ing.
  1. to make urgent appeal: Earnestly did I beseech, but to no avail.
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Origin of beseech

before 1100; Middle English bisechen, Old English besēcan. See be-, seek
Related formsbe·seech·er, nounbe·seech·ing·ly, adverbbe·seech·ing·ness, nounun·be·seech·ing, adjectiveun·be·seech·ing·ly, adverb

Synonyms

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1. pray, petition, supplicate, adjure. 1, 2. entreat, importune.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

imploresueinvokeprayimportuneentreatcravesolicitpleadasksupplicateappealadjurepetition

Examples from the Web for besought

Historical Examples

  • She had re-appeared; it was she herself who now sobbed and besought him to be tender and merciful.

    The Dream

    Emile Zola

  • A friendly federal judge was besought to stop me by an injunction.

  • He snatched my hand, and besought me not to leave him in displeasure.

    Clarissa, Volume 3 (of 9)

    Samuel Richardson

  • Soon it was I who besought the Count to fly—to leave me—to see me no more.

  • Again Jean, in stammering, disconnected sentences, besought him to be quiet.

    The Downfall

    Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for besought

besought

verb
  1. the past tense and past participle of beseech
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beseech

verb -seeches, -seeching, -sought or -seeched
  1. (tr) to ask (someone) earnestly (to do something or for something); beg
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Derived Formsbeseecher, nounbeseeching, adjectivebeseechingly, adverb

Word Origin

C12: see be-, seek; related to Old Frisian besēka
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for besought

v.

Middle English besohte, past tense and past participle of beseech.

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beseech

v.

late 12c., bisecen "to beseech, beg urgently," from be- + Middle English secen "to seek" (see seek). German cognate besuchen is merely "to visit." Related: Besought; beseeching.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper