beseech

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /bɪˈsitʃ/ UK /bɪˈsiːtʃ/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; to implore

She beseeched the judge to show mercy on her young son.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to ask someone urgently and... implore entreat beg plead supplicate adjure importune

Opposites

demand command

Word family

Forms beseechingly

Derived forms beseecherbeseeching

Related forms seekbeseeching

Etymology

From Middle English bisechen, from be- (intensive) + sechen ('to seek'), from Old English sēċan ('to seek').

be- Old English sēċan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

# beseech

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** bɪˈsitʃ
**IPA (UK):** bɪˈsiːtʃ

## Meanings
1. to ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; to implore

## Examples
- She beseeched the judge to show mercy on her young son.

## Synonyms
- implore
- entreat
- beg
- plead
- supplicate
- adjure
- importune

## Antonyms
- demand
- command

## Derived Forms
- beseecher
- beseeching

## Related Forms
- seek
- beseeching

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: be-
- Root: sēċan

## Etymology
From Middle English bisechen, from be- (intensive) + sechen ('to seek'), from Old English sēċan ('to seek').

## AI Etymology
Beseech is a verb meaning "to ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; to implore". Historically, it is from Middle English bisechen, from be- (intensive) + sechen ('to seek'), from Old English sēċan ('to seek'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: beseech is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old English be- with Old English sēċan. Close English family members include beseecher, beseeching, and seek.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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beseech

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