beguile
English
Alternative forms
- begyle [from the Middle English period through the 16th century]
Etymology
From Middle English begilen, begylen; equivalent to be- + guile. Compare Middle Dutch begilen (“to beguile”). Doublet of bewile.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -aɪl
- IPA(key): /bɪˈɡaɪl/
Verb
beguile (third-person singular simple present beguiles, present participle beguiling, simple past and past participle beguiled)
- (transitive) To deceive or delude (using guile).
- a. 1608, William Shakespeare, King Lear, II, II, 102.
- I know, sir, I am no flatterer: he that beguiled you, in a plain accent, was a plain knave.
- a. 1608, William Shakespeare, King Lear, II, II, 102.
- (transitive) To charm, delight or captivate.
- 1864 November 21, Abraham Lincoln (signed) or John Hay, letter to Mrs. Bixby in Boston
- I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming.
- I will never touch The Orb, even though its mysterious glow seduces and beguiles.
- 1864 November 21, Abraham Lincoln (signed) or John Hay, letter to Mrs. Bixby in Boston
- (transitive) To cause (time) to seem to pass quickly, by way of pleasant diversion.
Related terms
Translations
to deceive or delude (using guile)
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charm, delight
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References
- beguile in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- beguile in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
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