† beot, n. Obs.
[OE. béot, contr. from earlier *ˈb{iacu}hát ‘promise,’ the original noun-form, corresponding to the vb. bi-, be-ˈhátan: see be-, by-. For the contraction cf. héold (:—ˈhe-hald), béo, etc. A shifting of the stress from ˈb{iacu}hát to bi-ˈhát, on analogy of the vb., gave the late OE. beˈhát, whence ME. behote, which is thus a doublet of béot.]
A promise, vow, threat, boast.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Genesis (Gr.) 70 Wæs him gylp forod, beot forborsten. c 1205 Lay. 23680 His beot [so 1250] imaked hafde bi-foren al his duȝeðe. Ibid. 24929 Þat Romanisce leoden sunden swa ræie and heore beot [1250 þret] makieð. |