hest: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / ArchaicPoetic / Historical / Archaic
Quick answer
What does “hest” mean?
A word meaning 'command' or 'behest', now largely archaic.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A word meaning 'command' or 'behest', now largely archaic.
Historically used to denote a solemn or urgent command, an injunction, or a directive given by an authority figure. Its use now is either poetic, historical, or purely archaic.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare and archaic in both varieties. No regional preference.
Connotations
Sounds deliberately old-fashioned or 'olde worlde' in both varieties.
Frequency
Near zero in contemporary corpus data for both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “hest” in a Sentence
do sth at/on sb's hestact upon the hest ofVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical or literary analysis of older texts.
Everyday
Not used except for deliberate, humorous archaism.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hest”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hest”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hest”
- Using it as a modern word.
- Confusing it with 'haste'.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'He hested me to go' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a real but archaic word meaning 'command' or 'behest'. It is not used in contemporary English outside of historical or poetic contexts.
They are synonyms. 'Hest' is the older form, from Old English. 'Behest' (from 'be-' + 'hest') is also archaic but was slightly more common and persisted a little longer. Today, 'behest' is also rare but more recognisable than 'hest'.
No. Using archaic words like 'hest' in a modern context like an IELTS essay would be inappropriate and confusing for the examiner. Use standard modern synonyms like 'command', 'order', or 'directive'.
No, 'hest' is historically only a noun. The related Old English verb was 'hātan' (to command, call). There is no modern verb form 'to hest'.
A word meaning 'command' or 'behest', now largely archaic.
Hest is usually poetic / historical / archaic in register.
Hest: in British English it is pronounced /hɛst/, and in American English it is pronounced /hɛst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at someone's hest (archaic equivalent of 'at someone's behest')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a knight in a CASTLE receiving a HEST (command) from the KING. HEST rhymes with 'nest' where a bird is commanded to sit.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMAND IS A SOUND/A CRY (as 'hest' is related to Old English 'hǣs' meaning 'command', akin to 'hātan' to command or call).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'hest' be MOST appropriately used today?