beseem
Verb
Verb Forms: beseemed, beseeming, beseems
- To be suitable or appropriate for someone or something.
- accord or comport with
- Generally with a qualifying word such as ill or well: to appear, look, or seem (a certain way for someone or something).
- Without any qualifying word: to be appropriate or creditable (for someone or something).
Examples
- It beseems you not to grumble thus.
- It didn’t beseem a champion to make such a low-scoring move in Scrabble.
- This inn beseems well for a weary wayfarer.
Origin / Etymology
PIE word
*h₁epi
From Middle English bisemen (“to beseem”) [and other forms], from be-, bi- (prefix forming transitive verbs with a completive, figurative, or intensifying sense) + semen (“to seem; to be or see as appropriate; to be visible or apparent; to regard”). Semen is derived from Old Norse sœma (“to conform to; to befit, beseem”), from Proto-Germanic *sōmijaną (“to fit; to unite”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; whole”). The English word is analysable as be- (prefix with an intensifying sense) + seem.
Scrabble Score: 10
beseem: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordbeseem: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
beseem: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary