† betas Obs. rare—1.
[a. ON. beiti-áss sailyard, ? f. beita to make the ship catch the wind, to tack + áss pole, yard; cf. windlass, in ME. windas, in ON. vindáss.]
A sailyard.
| c 1330 R. Brunne in Layamon III. 396 Som aforced the wyndas, Som the lofe, som the betas. |