bestay

English

Etymology

From be- +‎ stay, from Middle English *stayen, steyen, from Old French estaier, estayer (“to prop, stay, support”), from estaye (“prop, support”), of Proto-Germanic origin. More at stay.

Verb

bestay (third-person singular simple present bestays, present participle bestaying, simple past and past participle bestayed)

1. (transitive) To secure or steady; cause to come to a fixed position or state; bring to a halt or stop.
   • 1834, Theodore Sedwick Fay, George Pope Morris, Samuel Woodworth, New-York mirror:

     Mid the half-furrowed field bestay the plough, Bid the twin toilers of the yoke go free, And aught that doth thee patient servitude, From closing sabbath to its blest return, [...]

   • 1874, Great Britain. Public Record Office, Calendar of state papers, foreign series, of the reign of Elizabeth:

     Hereupon the magistrates of the town cried "Hola, hola, bestay the matter."

   • 1940, Thornwell Jacobs, Red lanterns on St. Michael's:

     Bestay thee, bestay thee in fighting!

Anagrams

• Batesy, Bateys, Beatys, Eastby, beasty