befang
befang · befangs · befanged · befanging
To lay hold on; seize; grasp; catch; clutchTo lay hold on; seize; grasp; catch; clutch.
Meaning
3 senses(UK, Yorkshire, dialectal, transitive)To lay hold on; seize; grasp; catch; clutch.
Come here an' I'll befang thee!
(intransitive, obsolete)To take hold on; begin or commence upon.
(obsolete, transitive)To encompass; enclose; contain; comprehend.
Origin
From Middle English befon (past participle befangen), from Old English befōn (“to surroundFrom Middle English befon (past participle befangen), from Old English befōn (“to surround, clasp, include, envelop, encase, clothe, comprehend, seize, attack (at law), lay hold of, catch, ensnare, contain, receive, conceive, explain”), equivalent to be- + fang. Cognate with Dutch bevangen (“to seize”), Middle High German bevāhen (“to comprehend”).
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Forms
befangs, befanging, befanged, befangedLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle