Definify.com

Definition 2024

bework

bework

English

Verb

bework ‎(third-person singular simple present beworks, present participle beworking, simple past and past participle bewrought or beworked)

  1. (transitive) To work around or about; surround.
  2. (transitive) To work, as with thread; embroider.
  3. (transitive) To work over; rework; edit.
    • 1882, John Devenish Hoppus, Riverside papers:
      The author, who knows the answer, beworks his brains to give it in a satisfactory and intelligible form to his audience; [...]

Etymology

From Middle English bewurchen, from Old English bewyrċean, bewyrcan ‎(“to work, construct, surround with, enclose, cover, work in, insert, adorn”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- + *wirkijaną ‎(“to work”), equivalent to be- +‎ work. Cognate with Dutch bewerken ‎(“to work, manipulate”), German bewirken ‎(“to bring about, effect”), Danish bevirke ‎(“to cause”). More at be-, work.

Similar Results