Where does “beswarm” come from?

beswarm (English) comes from English Be, from Middle English be, from Old English bēo, from Proto-West Germanic *bijā, from Proto-Germanic bijō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰī- — to hit, to pierce.

beswarm (English): To swarm over; to envelop in a swarm

Definitions

  1. To swarm over; to envelop in a swarm

Ancestry of “beswarm”, step by step

beswarm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Be

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBeAs an auxiliary verb
2Middle EnglishbeAlternative form of been; Alternative form of...
3Old EnglishbēoI become, I will be, I am; bee
4Proto-West Germanic*bijābee
5Proto-Germanicbijōbee
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰī-to hit, to pierce

via English swarm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswarmA large number of insects, especially when in...
2Middle EnglishswarmA swarm; A large group of people
3Old Englishswearmswarm
4Proto-Germanicswarmazswarm; dizziness
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰī- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bijō →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *bijā →