A Concise Dictionary of Middle English from A.D. 1150 to 1580

by A. L. Mayhew; Walter W. Skeat

[ Bi-heden], v. to behead, MD; bi-hedide, pt. s., W; biheedid, pp., W.—AS. be-héafdian.

[ Bi-heste], sb. promise, S, S2, C2, P; byheste, S2; beheste, S2; byhest, S2; bihese, S; biheest, W; bihese, pl., S.—AS. be-hǽs.

[ Bi-heten], v. to promise, S, C3, W; bihote, S, S2, P; byhote, C; beohote, S2; bihat, pr. s., S; bihet, pt. s., S, S2; bihiȝte, W; behighte, S2; behihte, S2; bihight, P; biheyhte, S; bihoten, pp., S; byhote, S2; behote, S; named, S3.—AS. be-hátan. See NED (s.v. behight).

[ Bi-heue], adj. profitable, S, MD.—AS. be-héfe, necessary; from *bihóf, utility (in behóflic). See [Bihouely].

[ Bi-hinde], prep. behind, S; adv. S2; bihynde, backwards, W2; = to come, future, C3.

[ Bi-holden], v. to hold, to behold, PP, C, MD; bi-healde, S; bihalden, S2; bihalt, pr. s., S; biheold, pt. s., S; beoheold, S2; bihuld, S2; biheolt, S; biholde, pp., W2, C3; beholdinge wrongly used for beholden, indebted, S3.—AS. be-healdan.

Bihote; see [Biheten].

[ Bi-houe], sb. dat. advantage, MD; biofþe, S2. Cf. [Biheue].

[ Bi-houely], adj. behoveful, necessary, CM, MD; behouelich, S2.—AS. be-hóflic.

[ Bi-houeþ], pr. s. behoveth, needs, S, C2, P; behoueþ, S2; byhoueþ, S2; bihoues, S; byhoues, pr. pl., are obliged to, S2; behoued, pt. s., S; bihofte, W.—AS. be-hófian.