▪ I. † beˈhight, v. Obs.
For forms see below.
[An OTeut. compound vb.: OE. bi-, behátan = OHG. biheiȥan, Goth. biháitan (in derivatives), f. bi-, be- + OE. hátan = Goth. háitan to call, pa. tense haiháit, (= heháit), pa. pple. haitans. The reduplicated pa. tense appeared in OE. as heht (:—*ˈhehat:—*heˈhât:—heˈhait), contr. hét (pl. héton). As there was no other Eng. vb. exactly parallel, the isolated inflexion of hátan and behátan was in ME. subjected to a remarkable series of changes, resulting finally in the loss of the original present stem, and the substitution of that of the past as a new present, with weak inflexions. 1. The OE. original forms of the pres. beháte, and pa. pple. beháten, gave regularly the ME. behote and behoten (to c 1525). The OE. pa. tense behét gave ME. behet (-heet, -hete), found after 1400; beheht gave bi-heyght, -height, more usually behiȝt, -hight (-hyht, -hyght, and in 15th c. -hite). But in the course of the 14th c., the normal forms, behote, behet -height -hight, behoten, began to be disturbed under the influence of levelling, and of various assumed analogies. 2. Thus, the Present took the vowel of the then archaic past, and became behete, -heete, frequent in Wyclif, Chaucer, and Lydgate. The Past was occasionally assimilated to the pple. as behotte, behote; but far more frequently the pple. was assimilated to the pa. tense, first as behet, -hete, then as beheyght, behight, in 16th c. also behite. The Past behight was then made weak, as be-hight-e (3 syllables; cf. forms like mighte, lighte); and finally behight (behite) was taken as present, and the pa. tense and pple. duly became in 16th c. behighted (behited); cf. lighted for earlier lighte. Rare forms of the pa. tense were c 1400 behit (cf. lit = lighted), and in 16th c. behoted, formed on the original present behote. See further under the simple hight v. Towards the end of the 16th c. behight became obsolete, but was kept up by the Spenserian archaists, who often misunderstood its meaning, and employed it in mistaken senses.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
1. pres. (α) 1–3 beháte; 3–4 bi-, 3–6 behote.
| a 1000 ælfric Deut. xxiii. 21 Ðonne ðu behat behætst. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 161 Moni mon bihateð wel þe hit forȝeteð sone. a 1225 Ancr. R. 8 Ȝe ne schulen nout bihoten hit, auh..doð hit as þauh ȝe hefden hit bihoten. 1340 Ayenb. 65 Ȝuyche men þet..behoteþ þing þet hi nele naȝt healde. c 1400 Gamelyn 378 ffor to holden myn a-vow as I the by-hoote. a 1520 Myrr. Our Ladye 61 He behoteth that..there shall be encresed peace and accorde. [1591 Lambarde Arch. 141 That the Lord of Bedford..nor other of the Councell shall behote any favour.] |
(β) 4–6 behete, beheete.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 6872 So dud prince & als prophete As god dud to him bihete [v.r. hete, hette]. c 1388 Wyclif Wisd. ii. 13 He biheetith [1382 behoteth] that he hath the kunnyng of God. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 154 Neuere heere after wol I with hym meete..I yow biheete [v.r. be-, by-, -hete]. a 1400 Chester Pl. 31, I thee behette. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1014 Depe dampnacyon God byhetuth alle þo. c 1530 Hanley in Prynne Sov. Power Parl. ii. (1643) 67 The King shall answer, I grant and behete. |
(γ) 4–5 behyte, 6 behyȝt, -height, -hite, Sc. hecht, 6–7 -hight.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 11 If þe pope..behiȝt ani swilk þingis. Ibid. 69 Wan þe prest..behytiþ suelk an absolucoun. 1513 Douglas æneis i. vi. 94, I ȝou behecht [v.r. hecht]. 1548 Hall Chron. (1809) 136 Promisyng and behightyng by the faith of his body. 1581 Marbeck Bk. Notes 458 It bringeth and beheighteth good thinges. 1610 P. Barrough Meth. Physick i. xxviii. (1639) 45 [They] often behight and determine to kill themselves. |
2. pa. tense. (α) 1–4 behét, 2 -heot, 4 -heet, -hete, -hett.
| c 1000 ælfric Deut. v. 2 Drihten God behet us wed. a 1100 O.E. Chron. an. 1036 ælc man yfel him behet. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 71 Swa he þurh þe witeȝa bihet. a 1225 Ancr. R. 176 Salue ich bihet to techen ou. c 1300 Harrow. Hell 199 Do me as thou bihete. c 1400 Gamelyn 783 He him beheet That he wolde be redy whan the justice seet. c 1430 Hymns Virg. 98 He..Þat biheet me riȝt. |
(β) 1 beheht, 3–5 -heyght(e, 5–6 -height; 4 -hyȝt, 4–6 -hight, 5 -hite, 5–6 -hyght, 6 Sc. -hicht.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 3925 A byheste, That Darie byheyghte. c 1320 R. Brunne Medit. 1027 As þou me behyȝte. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1614 Myn owen knight Schal have his lady, as thou him bihight. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 122 Vertuys, þe whiche he be-hite in baptyme. c 1500 Lancelot 1481 The lond, the wich he them byhicht. 1527 Caxton's Trevisa's Higden i. lviii. 53 b, Scottes sente y⊇ Pyctes..and behyght them helpe. 1569 Turberv. Poems, Your comely hewe behight me hope. |
(γ) 4–5 be-, bi-, byhiȝte, -hyȝte, -higte, 5–6 -hyghte, -highte. After final e became mute, this was of course identified with β.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1204 He niste what he juggen of it myghte, Syn she hath broken that she hym byhighte. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xiv. 7 He byhiȝte for to ȝeue to hir. c 1449 Pecock Repr. 404 Wole not performe what he so be⁓hiȝte. a 1520 Myrr. Our Ladye 309 Iesu hathe sente the holy goste that he behyghte. |
(δ) 4–5 behit.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 10 Crist..behit vs heuenly kyndom. |
(ε) 5 behotte, 5–6 behote.
| c 1425 Three Kings Cologne (1885) 9 And [þei] byhotten ȝiftes to þe kepers. 1493 Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 115 Thou behote me a chylde, and now is the mother deed. |
(ζ) 6 behoted.
| 1520 Caxton's Chron. Eng. ii. 15/2 Those that me other wise behoted [ed. 1480 Tho that me other wyse behyghten]. |
(η) 6 behighted, -hited, -heighted.
| 1562 Foxe A. & M. I. 456/2 For so thou behited us sometime. 1587 Golding De Mornay xxix. 452 Let vs see what time they behighted for his comming. |
3. pa. pple. (α) 1–3 beháten, 2–6 -hoten, 3–6 -hote.
| c 1175 Cott. Hom. 225 Swa swa him aér be-haten wes. c 1314 Guy Warw. 104 Bihoten Ich it haue a maiden of priis. c 1400 Beryn 2528 Delyvir me of sorowe, as yee be⁓hote have. a 1520 Myrr. Our Ladye 267 He hathe behote..to gyue a hundereth folde. 1562 Foxe A. & M. I. 454/2 It was byhoten by Jeremiah. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Dec. 54 But better mought they haue behote him Hate. |
(β) 4 behet, 5 -hete.
| a 1400 Cursor M. 3010 (Trin.) 8 Hir son..þat was longe bihet toforn. Ibid. 13137 This childe was by-hete [v.r. bihett] many a yere Ar he were sent. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 31 As thou me behete hase. |
(γ) 4 byheght, 4–5 bihyȝt, -hyght, -hiȝt, -hight, behiȝt, -hyȝt, -hyht; 4–6 behight, -hyght, -hite.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. C. 29 Þe happes alle aȝt þat vus bihyȝt weren. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 429 God haves byheght hom. 1388 ― Ecclus. viii. 16 If thou hast bihiȝt. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys Introd. 6 Aftyr I had behyht the ryng. 1510 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xviii. E v, The mede of theym is behyght for to come. 1553–87 Foxe A. & M. I. 541/1 To wakers God has behite the Crown of Life. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. x. 50 The keys are to thy hand behight. |
(δ) 6 behited, -highted, -heighted.
| 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 37 He hath behyghted vs euerlasting life. 1577 St. Aug. Manuell 26 The light that God hath behighted them. 1606 Warner Alb. Eng. ci. 399 His knights had all behited them fulfild. |
B. Signification. I. Proper senses.
1. To vow, to promise. a. trans. (with dat. of the person.)
| a 1000 ælfric Gen. xxxviii. 17 Oð þæt þu me sende þæt þu me behætst. c 1300 Beket 1010 The King bihet hem gret honur. 1369 Chaucer Bk. Duchesse 631 The trayteresse false and full of gyle, That al behoteth, and nothing halt. a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 2337 A kyng ought..No thyng bihete but yf he it perfourme. 1556 Abp. Parker Psalter cxvi. 16, I now will paye, My vowes that I behight. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribae 506, I behight thee the Tenth of all my gettings. |
b. with inf. or subord. clause.
| c 1205 Lay. 18396 Godde we scullen bihaten ure sunnen to beten. c 1340 Cursor M. 5431 (Trin.), I bihete þe riȝt hit shal be done. c 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 92 The payens behight her..that she shulde haue a gret somme of moneye. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxi. 211 He..behiȝt hym for to done his message. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) i. xl. 81 He that behoteth to come ayen. 1610 P. Barrough Meth. Physick i. xxviii. (1639) 45 [The melancholious] desire death, and do very often behight and determine to kill themselves. |
2. trans. To encourage expectation, to hold out hope of (life, recovery, etc.).
| c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 788 He had..þe fevere quarteyne, Þat no mon þat sye hurre by-hette hurr þe lyff. a 1552 Leland Brit. Coll. I. 231 This William..was wounded so sore that no man beheight him life. 1571 Golding Calvin on Ps. ix. 14 He behighteth himselfe saufty even in the mouth of death. |
3. trans. To assure (one) of the truth of a statement; to warrant. (Cf. mod. I promise you.)
| c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 1034 Litel whil it last, I you biheete. c 1430 Syr. Tryam. 18 He had a quene..Trewe as stele, y yow be-hett. 1513 Douglas æneis i. vi. 94 Dido heyrat comouit, I ȝou behecht..followschip redy made. |
II. Improper uses by the archaists of the 16th and 17th cc., when the word was becoming obsolete; cf. the simple hight, also behest.
4. trans. To grant, deliver.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. x. 50 The keys are to thy hand behight By wise Fidelia. |
5. To command, bid, ordain.
| c 1591 Spenser Muiopotmos 241 It fortuned (as heavens had behight) That, etc. 1596 ― F.Q. vi. ii. 39 He..with her marched forth, as she did him behight. |
6. To call, to name.
| 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Apr. 120 They bene all Ladyes of the lake behight. Ibid. Dec. 54 Love they him called..But better mought they have behote him Hate. 1599 Nashe Lent. Stuffe (1871) 72 Which..are behighted the trees of the sun and moon. 1652 Ashmole Theat. Chem. i. 129 After Philosophy I you behyte. |
7. To bespeak, invoke.
| 1615 T. Adams Lycanthr. Ep. Ded. 3, I behight you in my prayers, a happy progresse in grace. |
▪ II. † beˈhight, n. Obs.
Forms: 5 behiȝt, 6 -hight, Sc. behicht, -hecht.
[f. prec. vb.: cf. the parallel behete, behote.]
A promise.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 57 After His blessing and silk behiȝt. c 1505 Dunbar None may Assure xii, Quhais fals behechtis as wind hym wavis. 1533 Bellenden Livy ii. (1822) 130, I wil nocht dissave the Tarquinis..with vane behichtis. a 1547 Earl of Surrey Psalm lxxiii. 25 [Not] In other succour..But only thine, whom I have found in thy behight so just. |