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Bespeak vs Beseech - What's the difference?

bespeak | beseech |

As verbs the difference between bespeak and beseech

is that bespeak is to speak about; tell of; relate; discuss while beseech is to beg or implore.

As nouns the difference between bespeak and beseech

is that bespeak is a request for a specific performance; a benefit performance, by a patron while beseech is a request.

bespeak

English

Verb

  • (lb) To speak about; tell of; relate; discuss.
  • *2006 , Janet Jaymes, Dirty Laundry: A Memoir :
  • *:But to bespeak of a love, heavily weighed upon a heart, toward someone opposing those sentiments encourages foolish and embarrassing repercussions he will never know about.
  • (lb) To speak for beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for; order or reserve in advance.
  • :
  • *Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • *:concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favour
  • (lb) To stipulate, solicit, ask for, or request, as in a favour.
  • :
  • To forbode; foretell.
  • To speak to; address.
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:He thus the queen bespoke .
  • (lb) To betoken; show; indicate; foretell; suggest.
  • :
  • *(Jonathan Swift) (1667–1745)
  • *:[They] bespoke dangersin order to scare the allies.
  • *(John Locke) (1632-1705)
  • *:When the abbot of St. Martin was born, he had so little the figure of a man that it bespoke him rather a monster.
  • *
  • *:This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
  • (lb) To speak up or out; exclaim; speak.
  • Derived terms

    * *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A request for a specific performance; a benefit performance, by a patron.
  • * 1839 , Charles Dickens,
  • "By the bye, I've been thinking of bringing out that piece of yours on her bespeak night."
    "When?", asked Nicholas.
    "The night of her bespeak'. Her benefit night. When her friends and patrons ' bespeak the play."
    "Oh! I understand", replied Nicholas.

    References

    (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * ----

    beseech

    English

    Alternative forms

    *

    Verb

  • To beg or implore.
  • * 1748 , David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral , London, Oxford University Press, 1973, § 25:
  • after what manner, I beseech you, must the mind proceed in this operation?
  • * 1888 , Rudyard Kipling, ‘Watches of the Night’, Plain Tales from the Hills , Folio 2005, p. 61:
  • She besought him, for his Soul's sake to speak the truth.
  • * 1919 ,
  • Panting a little in his haste, he told her how miserable he was; he besought her to have mercy on him; he promised, if she would forgive him, to do everything she wanted.

    Noun

    (beseeches)
  • (archaic) A request.
  • * 1839 , Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, George Darley, The works of Beaumont and Fletcher: Volume 1 :
  • Good madam, hear the suit that Edith urges, With such submiss beseeches ; [...]