bequeath
English
Etymology
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
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /bɪˈkwiːθ/, /bɪˈkwiːð/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - Hyphenation: be‧queath
- Rhymes: -iːθ, -iːð
Verb
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)
- (law) To give or leave by will; to give by testament.
- 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.
- 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
- (give or leave by will): The verb bequeath is usually used of personal property; for real property, the term devise is preferred (hence the phrase give, devise, and bequeath).
Related terms
Translations
to give or leave by will
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to hand down; to transmit
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to give; to offer; to commit
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Categories:
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- English terms inherited from Old English
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- Rhymes:English/iːð
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