Library / English Dictionary

BESET

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: besetting   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Assail or attack on all sides:

Example:

The zebra was beset by leopards

Synonyms:

beset; set upon

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "beset" is one way to...):

assail; assault; attack; set on (attack someone physically or emotionally)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Decorate or cover lavishly (as with gems)

Synonyms:

beset; encrust; incrust

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "beset" is one way to...):

adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Annoy continually or chronically

Example:

This man harasses his female co-workers

Synonyms:

beset; chevvy; chevy; chivvy; chivy; harass; harry; hassle; molest; plague; provoke

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "beset" is one way to...):

annoy; bother; chafe; devil; get at; get to; gravel; irritate; nark; nettle; rag; rile; vex (cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "beset"):

goad; needle (annoy or provoke, as by constant criticism)

bedevil; crucify; dun; frustrate; rag; torment (treat cruelly)

haze (harass by imposing humiliating or painful tasks, as in military institutions)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

A distrust of myself, which has often beset me in life on small occasions, when it would have been better away, was assuredly not stopped in its growth by this little incident outside the Canterbury coach.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Buck was beset by three huskies, and in a trice his head and shoulders were ripped and slashed.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Truly Miss Lucy, if she be sad in the foes that beset her, is at least happy in the friends that love her.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

From Providence to Burgundy we are beset by every prowling hireling in Christendom, who rend and tear the country which you have left too weak to guard her own marches.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The chill of Mrs. Fairfax's warnings, and the damp of her doubts were upon me: something of unsubstantiality and uncertainty had beset my hopes.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

White Fang, seeming to sum up strength in all his qualities, nevertheless suffered from one besetting weakness.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Miss Lavinia was going on to make some rejoinder, when Miss Clarissa, who appeared to be incessantly beset by a desire to refer to her brother Francis, struck in again: If Dora's mama, she said, when she married our brother Francis, had at once said that there was not room for the family at the dinner-table, it would have been better for the happiness of all parties.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Manuel had one besetting sin.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

They surrounded it in a cluster, and hurried along as though beset.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He is beset by sharpers: John is sunk and degraded—his look is frightful—I feel ashamed for him when I see him.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)