Bewit
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A small strip of leather by which bells are fastened to a hawk's legs. archaic, in-plural
- 1 To bequeath. transitive
"Al my other goodes afore not bewitted, my dettes paide, and my legacy fulfilled, I gyve and witto to my sones Roberte Bulmer and John Bulmer, whome I make my executors."
- 2 To endue or impart wit (to); instruct. transitive
"Several passages in the chronicles show that Elfric was tender of the queen's good name: perhaps it was the queen rather than the king who, acting on the advice of Elfwinus, wished the princes bewitted, that is to say, accomplished; made men of the world, and as we should say, their manner improved: [...]"
Example
More examples"Al my other goodes afore not bewitted, my dettes paide, and my legacy fulfilled, I gyve and witto to my sones Roberte Bulmer and John Bulmer, whome I make my executors."
Etymology
From Middle English biwitten, biwiten, biwitien, from Old English bewitan, bewītan, bewitian (“to look over, watch over, take charge of, have charge or direction of, superintend, preside, govern, administer”), equivalent to be- + wit.
From Middle English bewette, diminutive of Old French beue, bue, buie, boie (“bond, chain”), from Latin boia (“neck collar, fetter”). Compare buoy.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.