besweeten

besweeten

English

Etymology

be- +‎ sweeten

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: bĭswēʹtn, IPA^(key): /bɪˈswiːtn̩/
• Rhymes: -iːtən

Verb

besweeten (third-person singular simple present besweetens, present participle besweetening, simple past and past participle besweetened or (obsolete) besweetned)

1. (literary, rare) Sublimely sweeten.
   • 1648, Robert Herrick, Hesperides (1969 reprint, Scolar Press facsimiles), “Oberon’s Feast”, lines 15–17 (pages 136–137)

     A pure ſeed-Pearle of Infant dew, // Brought and beſweetned in a blew // And pregnant violet; […]

References

• “besweeten” listed as a derivation of “Be- prefix”, treated on pages 719–723 of volume I (A–B) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1885]
    Be- prefix: — OE. be-, weak or stressless form of the prep. and adv. bí (biᵹ), By. […] 2. Forming intensive verbs, with sense of ‘thoroughly (extension of 1), soundly, much, conspicuously, to excess, ridiculously.’ […] besweeten […] 1648 Herrick Hesp. I. 166 Dew..*besweetned in a..violet.