Wiktionary

bequeath

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English biquethen, from Old English becweþan (“to say, to speak, to address, exhort, admonish, blame, bequeath, leave by will”), equivalent to be- +‎ quethe. Cognate with Old Frisian biquetha.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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bequeath (third-person singular simple present bequeaths, present participle bequeathing, simple past bequeathed or (obsolete) bequoth, past participle bequeathed or (rare) bequethen or (obsolete) bequothen)

  1. (law) To give or leave by will; to give by testament.
  2. To hand down; to transmit.
    • 1964 May, “News and Comment: Minister hamstrings BR workshops”, in Modern Railways, page 291:
      Ownership of manufacturing workshops is not essential to that job; but BR happen to have been bequeathed a considerable number with a proud history.
    • 2008, Xavier: Renegade Angel, season 1, episode 10:
      First Xavier (Vernon Chatman): Looks like I already did. You're the sad figment of my twisted psyche's tragic dividend. You're the un-me. I'm the real me. You wanna be me?
      Second Xavier (Vernon Chatman): Kiddo, I was the real me when you were still in my short pants.
      First Xavier: Hate to break it to you, but I wore them first. Me bequeathed thee the psychopathological hand-you-down.
      Second Xavier: So you're the one who stained them!!
      First Xavier: Whoever found it, browned it.
  3. To give; to offer; to commit.
    • 2006 March 26, Leslie Feinberg, “'Gay is good'”, in Workers World‎[1]:
      These young gay men and lesbians were more militant and began to reject advice from the homophile movement to try to "fit into" society, not to make waves, and to rely on professionals and establishment figures to bequeath them social rights.

Usage notes

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Derived terms

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Translations

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