▪ I. † beˈmean, v.1 Obs.
Forms: 3–4 bimene, 3 bemene, 4–5 bymene, 5 bemeyne, 6 beemene.
[f. bi-, be- 2 + mean v., OE. mǽnan; cf. OHG. bimeinan, MHG. bemeinen, with same senses.]
1. trans. To mean, signify, import.
| a 1300 Havelok 1259 Wat may this bimene. c 1340 Cursor M. (Fairf.) 10853 Her by-thoght What this gretyng myght be-mene. c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. 4 Þan most a prelate honge the wif—what bymenyth that? 1502 Arnold Chron. (1811) 265 Yf a man aske hem [the Sarasyns] what Paradyse beemeneth, they sayn it is a place of delytis. |
2. To signify or communicate to (a person). rare.
| c 1340 Cursor M. (Trin.) 15495 Petur him bymened & seide þis resoun, þou shal bitrayed be lord to nyȝt. |
▪ II. † beˈmean, v.2 Obs. rare.
[f. be- prefix 5, or perh. two words, be v. + mene, mean, ‘intermediate, a mediator.’]
intr. To mediate, intercede.
| 1459 Marg. Paston in Lett. (1872) I. 438 He desyryd Alblaster to bemene to yow for hym. a 1520 Myrr. Our Ladye 232 Pray for the people, by meane for the clerge. |
▪ III. bemean, v.3
(bɪˈmiːn)
[f. be- prefix 5 + mean a.]
trans. To render mean or base, to lower in dignity, abase. (In first quot. for demean = ‘behave.’)
| 1651 Gataker Ridley in Fuller Abel. Rediv. 193 How he bemeaned himselfe, shall hereafter be related. 1688 Rokeby Diary (1858) 29 Foolish frothy things, that bemean it [my memory] before the Lord. 1742 Jarvis Quix. ii. iii. xx. (D.), I renounce my gentility..and bemean myself to the lowness of the offender. 1866 Reade G. Gaunt II. 92 Oh, husband, how can you so bemean yourself? |
▪ IV. bemean, v.4, bemene
see bemoan.