besought: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Literary, Formal, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “besought” mean?
The past tense and past participle of the archaic/formal verb 'beseech', meaning to beg or entreat someone earnestly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past tense and past participle of the archaic/formal verb 'beseech', meaning to beg or entreat someone earnestly.
To ask for something urgently or humbly; to implore or petition for a favour or mercy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both recognise the form, but it is extremely rare in both varieties. No significant difference in usage.
Connotations
Evokes historical, literary, or biblical contexts.
Frequency
Virtually obsolete in daily conversation. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical or liturgical texts, but extremely low frequency in both.
Grammar
How to Use “besought” in a Sentence
[Subject] besought [Object] for [something][Subject] besought [Object] to [verb]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “besought” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The villagers besought the lord for protection from the bandits.
- She besought him to reconsider his decision, her voice trembling with emotion.
American English
- The colonists besought the Crown for relief from the taxes.
- He fell to his knees and besought God for guidance.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Only in historical/literary analysis.
Everyday
Extremely rare, would sound archaic.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “besought”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “besought”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “besought”
- Using 'beseeched' as the past form (both are accepted, but 'besought' is the traditional form).
- Using it in modern, casual contexts.
- Mispronouncing as /biːˈsɔːt/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are accepted as past forms of 'beseech', though 'besought' is the traditional, irregular form and is more common in historical or literary contexts.
No, it would sound archaic and odd. Use 'requested', 'asked', or 'urged' instead.
'Besought' comes from 'beseech' (to beg). 'Sought' comes from 'seek' (to look for). They are different verbs.
It is so rare and archaic that there is no meaningful difference in frequency between the two varieties.
The past tense and past participle of the archaic/formal verb 'beseech', meaning to beg or entreat someone earnestly.
Besought is usually literary, formal, archaic in register.
Besought: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈsɔːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɪˈsɔːt/ or /bɪˈsɑːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to 'besought'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BESOUGHT' sounds like 'BE-SORT' – as in, one might BE of a certain SORT (humble) to have BESOUGHT a favour.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRAYER IS A REQUEST (e.g., he besought God).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the standard past tense of the archaic verb 'beseech'?