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:
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
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
"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
Filled with this idea, and animated by that pure zeal for science, which is its own best reward, Schlegel resolves to betake him to the study of the Sanscrit tongue.
From The Philosophy of History, Vol. 1 of 2 by Friedrich Schlegel
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 John Bowling
Sally Dutton came by, returning from a stroll to which she had betaken herself on Belfield's arrival.
From Second String by Anthony Hope
There were double footsteps—those of one approaching and one departing—and the inference was immediately drawn, that the pursued had betaken himself to the castle keep, but had again effected his escape.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. XX by Alexander Leighton
Having betaken ourselves to one of the residences of Mr. Nourvady....
From The Princess of Bagdad a play in three acts by Alexandre Dumas
It being too late in the year to begin rebuilding, the woodsman had betaken himself to the Settlements for the winter, trusting to begin, in the spring, the slow repair of his fortunes.
From Hoof and Claw by Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts
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
When the three had arrived within a hundred yards of Mr. McGee's destination they separated, each betaking himself to his own lodging-house.
From The Canadian Portrait Gallery - Volumes 1 to 4 by John Charles Dent
As elsewhere described, they simply shut the door on pursuit by betaking themselves into the clefts and crannies of a hanging rock-wall some three miles long and 2,000 feet high.
From Wild Spain (Espa?a agreste) Records of Sport with Rifle, Rod, and Gun, Natural History Exploration by Walter J. Buck
Hortense could not have lived another hour without betaking herself to the scene of these nefarious transactions, and inspecting the state of matters in person.
From Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
He did not see her again that night, betaking himself at a very late hour to his own dressing-room.
From Is He Popenjoy? by Anthony Trollope
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
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
Mr. Chamberlain betook him to his residence in Morpeth Mansions.
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
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