betake
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cause to go (usually used reflexively).
She betook herself to town.
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Archaic. to resort or have recourse to.
verb
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to go; move
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archaic to apply (oneself) to
Etymology
Origin of betake
First recorded in 1175–1225, betake is from the Middle English word bitaken. See be-, take
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Aving already ad bestselling olidays in Paris and Manhattan, Mrs. 'Arris as ardly anyplace else to betake erself to but the Ouse of Commons.
From Time Magazine Archive
Propaganda for return of the pre-machine modes of production is equivalent to preaching that man should do away with clothes, grow hair all over his body and betake himself to the forests.
From Time Magazine Archive
Gradually the household betake themselves to bed and Authoress Dix reviews them as they lie, wrapped in their several irremediable miseries.
From Time Magazine Archive
"And it is here that I must betake me to my Lord Don Quixote in order that I may learn of him how to confront ridicule and overcome it."
From Time Magazine Archive
During the damp soft days of the Oregon winter, the Nimrods of Portland betake themselves thither in great numbers.
From The Columbia River Its History, Its Myths, Its Scenery, Its Commerce by Lyman, William Denison
So saying, he sallied forth, pacing round the fortifications in quest of Oswald, where he learnt that he and Wulfhere had betaken themselves towards the valley.
From The Last of the Vikings by Bowling, John
He assumed that the dog had abandoned his caprice of being outside his master’s door, and had betaken himself to his usual haunts in the basement rooms and passages of the house.
From The Animal Story Book by Various
Having betaken ourselves to one of the residences of Mr. Nourvady....
From The Princess of Bagdad a play in three acts by Dumas, Alexandre
She had gone down to the boat dock in the hope of having a word with the handsome waterman; and returned from it reluctantly, finding he had betaken himself to his boat.
From Gwen Wynn by Reid, Mayne
Towards evening the bells had ceased; the frequenters of inn parlours too had betaken themselves to their farms, lying peacefully in the light of the setting sun.
From Autumn Glory The Toilers of the Field by Bazin, Ren?
When conscience has extorted a confession, she returns him to his monastery and God, betaking herself to the Garden of Allah, gem of the desert, where their courtship began and her days will end.
From Time Magazine Archive
Obediently betaking herself to the dressing room, Jerry discovered Veronica in the act of changing her butterfly costume for a demure but very smart pleated frock of dark blue Georgette crêpe.
From Marjorie Dean High School Senior by Chase, Josephine
Aunt Thekla had sent him Johanna's note, and he was betaking himself to consult with her as to what was to be done.
From A Noble Name or D?nninghausen by Gl?mer, Claire Von
When the morning of the wedding had come, the lady, love-sick for the young farmer, instead of betaking herself to the kirk to be married, took to her bed, and the wedding was put off.
From Harper's Young People, November 4, 1879 An Illustrated Weekly by Various
The women, with loud cries, rushed towards their horses—with the intention of betaking themselves to a place of security; while the warriors looked to their arms—determined to make stand against the approaching foe.
From The Wild Huntress Love in the Wilderness by Reid, Mayne
Just when Kennedy was trying to calm the business community,* Solicitor General Archibald Cox betook himself back to Harvard for a speech calculated to make any businessman blanch with dismay.
From Time Magazine Archive
So last week, to discuss this necessary monster, mayors, professors, doctors, businessmen betook themselves to St. Louis, to the 32d annual convention of the National Municipal League.
From Time Magazine Archive
No wonder then that Tcheng Loh betook his gangling, spidery self, last week, to the office of paunchy, sleepy-eyed French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand, his friend and frequent counselor.
From Time Magazine Archive
President Herriot, having worn himself out calling for order, put on his silk hat and betook his full-dressed self from the Chamber as a sign that the session was suspended.
From Time Magazine Archive
We lunched on a cold collation of duck and mutton shortly after noon; then betook ourselves to the instruments to observe the Transit.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
