Where does “beswear” come from?
beswear (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.
beswear (English): To swear by; swear about or regarding; swear at...
Definitions
- To swear by; swear about or regarding; swear at...
Ancestry of “beswear”, step by step
beswear traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Be
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Be | As an auxiliary verb |
| 2 | Middle English | be | Alternative form of been; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old English | bēo | I become, I will be, I am; bee |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *bijā | bee |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bijō | bee |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰī- | to hit, to pierce |
via English swear
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | swear | To take an oath, to promise; To use offensive,... |
| 2 | Middle English | sware | Alternative form of square; A response to a query... |
| 3 | Old English | swaru | an oath, vow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | swarō | a solemn statement or affirmation; oath; vow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | swer- | to ache; to fester; wound; injury |