bestir

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
8
Words With Friends
9
Letters
6
Pronunciation
/bɪˈstɜː/
See all 4 pronunciations
/bɪˈstɜː/ · /bɪˈstɝ/ · /biˈstɝ/ · /bəˈstɝ/

Definition of bestir

2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. (transitive)To put into brisk or vigorous action; to move with life and vigor.
    “Notwithstanding all the various temptations to bad temper, pride, greediness, adultery and so forth, the enemy really has but one temptation, and that is, to bestir the saints.”
See all 2 definitions

verb

  1. (transitive)To put into brisk or vigorous action; to move with life and vigor.
    “Notwithstanding all the various temptations to bad temper, pride, greediness, adultery and so forth, the enemy really has but one temptation, and that is, to bestir the saints.”
  2. (reflexive)To make active; to rouse oneself.
    “Like the knocking at the door in Macbeth, or the cry of the watchman in the Tour de Nesle, they show that the horrible cæsura is over and the nightmares have fled away, because the day is breaking and the ordinary life of men is beginning to bestir itself among the streets.”
    “The old man and his wife bestirred themselves to make every thing ready for the unexpected guests, […]”
    “When he had bestirred himself, […] it was clear daylight, though the sun had not tipped the yellow wall in the east.”
    “And so I hope we can bestir ourselves not to “Rally Around Caesar,” as the recent Economist recommends. I hope we will bestir ourselves to rally around an emergency/militant reconstruction of a secular democracy consecrated to the equality of each and every living one of us.”
    “Why is it so important to bestir oneself? Bestirring oneself means that one feels truly fortunate and excited to stand before one's Creator and that one longs for this moment.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH- Proto-Indo-European *(s)twr̥H-yé-ti? Proto-Germanic *sturjaną Proto-West Germanic *sturjan Old…

See full etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH- Proto-Indo-European *(s)twr̥H-yé-ti? Proto-Germanic *sturjaną Proto-West Germanic *sturjan Old English styrian Old English bestyrian Middle English bestyrien English bestir From Middle English bestyrien, bestirien, from Old English bestyrian (“to heap up, pile up”), equivalent to be- + stir.

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