Word a Day
beset
What does beset mean?
beset (verb): to assail or attack (someone) from all sides; to set about.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use beset in a sentence?
- The zebra was beset by leopards. (Princeton WordNet 3.1)
How do you pronounce beset?
/bɪˈsɛt/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does beset come from?
From Middle English besetten, bisetten (“to besiege, blockade; to fill, occupy; to harass, beset; to allot, bestow; to arrange, manage; to place, set; to provide for; to treat in a certain way”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “beset”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “beset” mean?
to face or deal with, attempting to overcome or fight down
Not quite: that's what tackle means.
to assail or attack (someone) from all sides; to set about
Right! That's what “beset” means.
expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
Not quite: that's what spit means.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
Not quite: that's what acquire means.
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