beshield

English

Etymology

From Middle English bischilden, from Old English besċyldian, besċieldian (“to shield, defend”); equivalent to be- +‎ shield.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːld

Verb

beshield (third-person singular simple present beshields, present participle beshielding, simple past and past participle beshielded)

1. (transitive, reflexive, archaic) To shield around or about; protect; defend.
   • 1876, Torquato Tasso, The Jerusalem delivered of Yorquato Tasso:

     Beshield thee with thy troops; find out at will Fresh instruments of war, and unknown gear; For thou shalt not scape death from this my hand, O slayer of the dames, so brave and grand.

   • 2004, Robert Thornton, The Prose Life of Alexander:

     […] that in that same night Olympia might behold the god Hamon lying beside her, and saying to her thereafter, 'Woman, thou hast conceived him who shall beshield thee.

   • 2006, Percy Grainger, Malcolm Gillies, David Pear, Self-Portrait of Percy Grainger:

     Of course I was frightened — frightened of being struck, or beshamed, during the next tone-show — so cast about for someone to beshield me.

2. (transitive) To provide or outfit with a shield.
   • 1872, The Net:

     Our bearers now began to call themselves Natal Kafirs, fearing to say they were Zulus before the young Amaswazi warriors, beplumed, beshielded, bespeared, perched about here and there in picturesque unconsciousness of their picturesqueness.