Forms: 1 bi-, becweðan, 2–5 bi-, byqueðen, -þe(n, -the(n, 4–6 bequethe, 4–5 -qweth(e, 6 -queath(e, (5 -quete, -wheth(e, -wete, -qwithe, -quaythe, and innumerable illiterate spellings in wills). Pa. t. 6– bequeathed; in 1 becwæð, 2 -quað, 2–3 -queð, 2–4 -queþ, 3 -quaad, 5 -quath(e, -quaythed. Pa. pple. 6– bequeathed; in 1 becweden, 3 -queðe(n, 5 -quethe(n, -quette, -witt, -quothen, -quethed. [OE. bi-, becweðan, f. BE- 4 + cweðan to say: see QUETHE and QUOTH. An ancient word, the retention of which is due to the traditional language of wills. Originally, like its radical cweðan, a strong vb.; but having only weak inflexion since 1500. In north. dial. written in 15th c. bewhethe, and variously perverted as -whete, -weth, -withe, -wite, -wit, -quite, -quit, which show the groping of popular etymology after some known verb to which the derivative might be referred.]
I. To say, utter, declare.
† 1. trans. To say, utter, express in words. Obs.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. lxxxviii. 44 [-ix. 51]. Þæt þinum criste becweþað swiðe.
c. 1000. Andreas (Gr.), 418. Gif þu þeʓn sie … wuldor cyninges, swa þu worde becwist.
† b. Of language: To express, signify, mean.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 75. Ic ou wile seggen word efter word and þermide hwat þet word bi-queþ. Ibid., 133. Hwet þeo saȝe bicweðe.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 17. Alle cunne ower crede … þeih ȝe alle nuten hwat hit biqueðe.
† 2. ? To speak about in sorrow, to bewail. Obs. (Or is this error for bigreden, or bigreithen?)
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2448. Ðe liches beðen, And smeren, and winden, and bi-queðen.
II. To ‘say (a thing) away’; to give or part with by formal declaration.
† 3. To assign, ordain, appoint, allot, give as an attribute (a thing to a person, etc.). Obs.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 117. God bi-quuad watres here stede.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 79. Yet these belongers to body are helpful enough, wherewith to set forth the nature of the things to which we bequeath them.
4. To make a formal assignation of (property of which one is possessed) to any one, † a. so as to pass to him at once: To transfer, hand over, make over, assign, deliver. Obs.
c. 1305. Edmund Conf., 132, in E. E. P. (1862), 74. Þis catel þat ich biqueþe þis dede forto do.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., xciv. 74. He had the reame … sauf he byquath and yafe it to his broder.
1595. Shaks., John, I. i. 149. Wilt thou Bequeath thy land to him, and follow me? Ibid. (1611), Wint. T. V. iii. 102. Bequeath to Death your numnesse.
b. so as to pass to the recipient after one’s death: To ‘leave’ by will. (The only surviving sense, for which it is the proper term.)
1066. Chart. Eadweard, in Cod. Dipl., IV. 191. Swa full fre and swa forð swa he it sainte Petre bequað.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 183. Gief þe quike haueð aihte þe were þe dedes ærrure þe he him biqueð.
c. 1393. Chaucer, Gentilesse, 17. There may noman … Beqweythe his heyre his vertuous noblesse.
1418. E. E. Wills (1882), 25. My godys … I be-quethe to Ione my wyfe.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 31.
1440. Test. Ebor., II. (1855), 134. A speciall wille … in wheche I have bequothen and sette diverse thyngys to certenn persouns. Ibid. (1443), 106. I gyffe and bewhete … xl s.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 23. He bequathe to his dowter all his Empire.
1530. Palsgr., 448/2. My grant mother byquaythed me a hundred pounde.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., III. ii. 141. Bequeathing it as a rich Legacie Vnto their issue.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., II. VI. 28. Sums of money were … bequeathed to the priests.
1876. Green, Short Hist., ii. § 6 (1882), 85. William had bequeathed Normandy to his eldest son, Robert.
c. fig. To transmit (to posterity), to ‘leave.’
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 415. Jacob in his blessing prophetically bequeathed it.
1752. Johnson, Rambl., No. 205, ¶ 13. This narrative he has bequeathed to future generations.
1875. Scrivener, Lect. Grk. Test., 11. Antiquity has bequeathed to us nothing else that can be compared with them.
† 5. To commit to, unto (any one) with recommendation to his acceptance or care; to commend, entrust. Also fig. Obs. or arch.
c. 1225. Rel. Ant., I. 235. Louerd Godd, in hondes tine I biqueðe soule mine.
1436. Test. Ebor., II. (1855), 75. I bewitt my saule to Gode Allmighty.
1591. Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 633. Them therefore as bequeathing to the winde, I now depart.
1596. Drayton, Legends, iii. 16. Let Me to Thee, my sad Complaints bequeathe.
1700. Dryden, Pythag. Philos., 57, Fables (1721), 301. The judges to the common urn bequeath Their votes.
1718. Pope, Iliad, VII. 399. We to flames our slaughtered friends bequeath.
† 6. gen. To deliver, bestow, give, yield, furnish.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 25. To whom god hath ȝevin and bequeþon … paradise.
1608. Pennyless Parl., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), III. 72. A niggards purse shall scarce bequeath his master a good dinner.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 122. That which bequeaths it this slow pace.
† 7. refl. To commit oneself, give oneself up, devote oneself, Obs. or arch.
1555. Phaër, Æneid, II. –iv. This fleete at last … I see … I did myself bequeth thereto to flee.
1652. Evelyn, State of France, Misc. (1805), 85. Gentlemen … who generally so bequeath themselves to this service.
1829. K. Digby, Broadst. Hon., I. 166. Orpheus … bequeaths himself to a solitary life in the deserts.
