bemoan, v.
(bɪˈməʊn)
Forms: 1 bi-, -bemǽnan, 3 bimen-en, 4–5 bi-, bymene, 4–6 bemene, 5 bimeane; 6 beemone, bemoane, 6–7 bemone, 7– bemoan.
[OE. bi-, bemǽnan, f. bi-, be- + mǽnan to moan; the regular modern repr. of this would have been bemean: for the substitution of the existing form, see moan.]
1. trans. To moan for; to lament, weep for.
| c 1000 ælfric Deut. xxxiv. 8 Þa heofungdaᵹas wæron þa ᵹefyllede þe hiᵹ Moisen bemændon. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Þenne wille ȝe..sunne bimenen. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 4150 .xxx. daiȝes wep israel for his dead and bi-ment it wel. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 4225 Ys trewe baronye be-mend him sore. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy iv. xxx, They playne and the death bimeane Of worthy Hector. 1563 Myrr. Mag., Induct. xvii. 2 Luckeles lot for to bemone. 1653 Walton Angler i. 17 The children of Israel..bemoaning the ruines of Sion. a 1732 Gay Poems (1745) I. 97 Her piteous tale the winds in sighs bemoan. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge lix, She bemoaned her miseries in the sweetest voice. |
2. refl. To lament or bewail one's lot.
| c 1220 Bestiary 798 in O.E. Misc. 25 Bimene we us, we hauen don wrong. c 1314 Guy Warw. 5 He gan to wepe..And biment him wel reweliche. 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle iv. xx. (1483) 67 See how my sone..Bymeneth hym in herte chere and voys. 1625 Bacon Envy, Ess. (Arb.) 514 Politique persons..are euer bemoaning themselues, what a Life they lead. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 486 Tillotson bemoaned himself with unfeigned..sorrow to Lady Russell. |
3. intr. or with subord. clause. To lament, grieve.
| c 1305 St. Edm. Conf. 426 in E.E.P. 82 Hi bimende & ofþoȝte sore: þat hi hiȝede þider so faste. 1460 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 157 Yf thow owght morne, I shall bemene. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. i. ii. §5 We rather bemoan she lost it so soon. 1833 Lamb Elia (1860) 238, I do not know whether I ought to bemoan or rejoice that my old friend is departed. |
† 4. trans. with cogn. obj.: To utter with moans.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 346 His firste pleinte to bemene Unto the citee of Athene He goth him forth. |
5. To express pity for, condole with.
| c 1300 Beket 983 Therfore we ne bymeneth the noȝt: for thu noldest beo awar bifore. c 1305 St. Kenelm 236 in E.E.P. (1862) 54 He nere noȝt to bymene Þeȝ his larder were neȝ ido. 1611 Bible Job xlii. 11 They bemoned him, and comforted him ouer all the euill..brought vpon him. |