▪ I. behest, n.
(bɪˈhɛst)
Forms: 1 behǽs, 2–3 bihese, biheaste, 2–6 bi-, byheste, 3–6 beheste, 4–5 be-, bi-, byheest(e, 4–6 bi-, byhest, 6–7 beheast, 4– behest.
[OE. behǽs fem. (acc. behǽse) was the regular repr. of OTeut. *bihait-ti-, abst. n. f. bihait-an, in OE. behátan to behight (see Sievers, Ags. Gr. §232); thence, early ME. bihese, soon altered to bihes-te, by form analogy with words in -te, OE. -t. For full phonetic history see hest. The OE. bihǽs, like the vb. bihátan, occurs only in the sense of ‘promise, vow,’ but in ME. biheste acquired the sense of the simple hǽs, hest, f. hátan ‘to command’; see hight. Cf. the equivalent behote, OE. behát neut., with its ME. variants behete, behight.]
† 1. A vow, promise. Very common in the phr. land of behest: land of promise. Obs.
| a 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 61 But [we] lesten ure bihese. 1205 Lay. 1263 He bi-heihte hire biheste. c 1230 Hali Meid. 39 Ich habbe ihalden mine biheaste þruppe. c 1300 St. Brandan 76 Bifore the ȝates of Paradys in the Lond of Biheste. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. Prol. 26 Breken his biheste. 1388 Wyclif Heb. xi. 9 Bi feith he dwelte in the loond of biheest. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) iv. xxvi. 193 Why is this commaundement gyuen with a byhest of helthe. 1562 Foxe A. & M. I. 454/1 He behight to him and to his Heirs the Land of behest. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 89 She made a large behest, Of gold that she would franklike give. 1634 Malory's Arthur (1816) I. Prol. 13 Duke Joshua, which brought the children of Israel into the land of beheast. |
2. A command, injunction, bidding.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Þu scoldest halden cristes biheste. 1388 Wyclif Ecclus. xxiv. 33 Moises comaundide a lawe in the comaundementis of riȝtfulnessis..and biheestis to Israel. 1528 More Heresyes i. Wks. 157/2 That thei should kepe his byhestes. 1591 Spenser Ruines Time 73 To fall before her feete at her beheast. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 238 Us he [God] sends upon his high behests. 1857 Buckle Civilis. iii. 140 We see the subtlest..of all forces..obeying even the most capricious behests of the human mind. |
▪ II. † beˈhest, v. Obs.
Also 2 bihaste, 6 beheast; pa. pple. 6 behest.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. (or with subord. clause). To vow, promise.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 185 Þu..bihastest us wiþ þon þet we neomen hit heouenliche blissen. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas ii. xii. (1554) 51 God hath behested to Dauid and his lyne..In Jerusalem how they shal succede. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 29. 1477 Marg. Paston in Lett. 809 III. 215 The gyrdyl that my fadyr be hestyt me. 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 3 b, I haue behest a pygge to saynt Anthony. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke xiii. 3 Thou haddest euen vowed and beheasted thy selfe to utter ruine. 1566 Gascoigne Jocasta Wks. (1587) 92 As much as late I did behest to thee. |