v. Obs. Forms: 1 besencan, 2–3 besencen, (Orm.) bisennkenn, bisenchen. Pa. t. 2–3 bisencte, -seinte. [OE. besęncan wk. vb., f. BE- 2 + sęncan:—OTeut. sanqjan, causal of sinqan to SINK.] trans. To cause to sink, submerge, plunge down, overwhelm.
971. Blickl. Hom., 33. Se þe mihte þone costiʓend instepes on helle grund besencean.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xviii. 6. Besenced [Rushw. besenked] on sæs grund.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 87. God bisencte þa þe pharaon; and al his genge. Ibid., 107. Hi bisencheð us on helle.
c. 1200. Ormin, 19689. Þatt mihhte hemm alle … Inn helle wel bisennkenn.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 334. [He] biseinte [v.r. bisencte] Sodome & Gomorre.
