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definitions

bestead

1
[ bih-sted ]
/ bɪˈstɛd /
|

verb (used with object), be·stead·ed, be·stead·ed or be·stead, be·stead·ing.

to help; assist; serve; avail.

Nearby words

  1. best-ball match,
  2. best-case,
  3. best-efforts selling,
  4. best-laid plans go astray, the,
  5. best-selling,
  6. bestest,
  7. besti,
  8. bestial,
  9. bestiality,
  10. bestialize

Origin of bestead

1
First recorded in 1575–85; be- + stead

bestead

2
[ bih-sted ]
/ bɪˈstɛd /

adjective

Archaic. placed or situated, often unfavorably or in difficulty.

Origin of bestead

2
1300–50; Middle English bisted, bistad, equivalent to bi be- + sted, variant of stad placed < Old Norse staddr, past participle of stethja to place, derivative of stathr place
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bestead

  • Oh, sure never was a poor maid so bestead with blind men—well, fetch thy beechnuts.

    Standish of Standish|Jane G. Austin
Word Origin and History for bestead

bestead

v.

"to help, support, prop," 1580s, from be- + stead (v.); see stead.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper