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to beshrew

to beshrew

1 9.9
To wish bad things to happen to someone
  • verb
  • /bɪˈʃruː/
  • Archaic
translation icon : maldecir
  • And from my soul too; else beshrew them both!

Examples

  • Yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost... withstanding the poor and untempering effect of my vis Now beshrew my father's ambition!

  • Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, if hermia meant to say lysander lied.

  • May they beshrew their misfortune and ever suffer from the consequences of their actions.

  • He muttered a curse, intending to beshrew anyone who sought to hinder his plans.

  • I beseech you, beshrew those who would betray the trust placed in them.

Synonyms

to curse
vsto beshrew
244 4.8

To wish harm on someone using magic

is archaic and used historically rather than in modern speech
to damn
vsto beshrew
  • Offensive
207 7.6

To wish bad things to happen to someone by calling on a magic power

is archaic and is found mainly in older texts
to accurse
vsto beshrew
  • Archaic
15 9.9

To say that someone will have bad luck or be punished

wishes harm rather than formally declaring another under doom
to anathematize
vsto beshrew
  • Formal
1 9.9

To officially say that something is evil and must be rejected

is archaic and appears in older language rather than formal rites
to bedamn
vsto beshrew
  • Offensive
9.9

To wish harm or a curse on someone

is archaic and used in older language rather than modern speech
to maledict
vsto beshrew
  • Archaic
9.9

To wish harm or bad luck on someone

is archaic and appears mainly in older forms of speech
to imprecate
vsto beshrew
  • Offensive
9.9

To wish bad things to happen to someone, often by saying a curse

is archaic and belongs to older language use
to anathemize
vsto beshrew
  • Formal
9.9

To say in public that someone or something is evil and should be avoided

is archaic and used as an older word for wishing harm
to pox
vsto beshrew
  • Archaic
9.9

To ruin plans or crops, used in old language

wishes harm or invokes evil directly rather than just spoiling
to let out a curse
vsto beshrew
  • Offensive
6.8

To say a bad word when you feel angry or hurt

wishes harm or calls evil upon someone rather than mere exclamation

How Hostile

to execrate
  • Formal
1 9.9
curse
  • Literature
262 5.5
to damn
  • NSFW
275 3.9
to beshrew
  • Archaic
1 9.9
to begrudge
23 7.6
to disapprove
94 2.9

Surface Forms

beshrew infinitive
beshrewing present participle
beshrews third person singular
beshrewed past
beshrewed past participle

Morphology

beshrew = shrew (opaque) = be + shrew

The prefix 'be-' is used to form verbs, but the meaning of 'beshrew' as 'to curse' is not transparent from 'shrew'.

Etymology

Beshrew comes from the old prefix be- and the word shrew, which once meant an 'evil person' or spirit. So to beshrew someone was to wish harm on them, that is, to 'curse' them.