Bess

See also: bess, BESS, béss, and Bëss

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: bĕs, IPA^(key): /bɛs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛs

Proper noun

Bess

1. A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth
   • c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi]:

     King Edward. Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy.

   • 1981, William Wharton, Dad, Knopf, →ISBN, page 293:

     "Jack, couldn't you call me Bette again? You know how much I hate Bess. I don't know what's happened; you've been calling me Bette since we came to California and now, suddenly, you're calling me Bess."
     There's a long silence. Dad's still up on his knees; I'm driving along Sepulveda Boulevard toward Olympic.
     "Well, Bette, I married you as Bess and I've always liked that name. It's a name you don't hear very often; it's a strong name like you. Every time I call you Bette I'm afraid somebody else might answer."

2. (gay slang) A term applied to a fellow gay man, usually preceding an admonition.

   listen here, Bess

Derived terms

• Bessbrook

Related terms

• Bessie, Bessy

Anagrams

• BSes, b******ses, SEbS, SSBE, ESBs