bework

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bɪˈwɜːk/, /bəˈwɜːk/, /biˈwɜːk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /bɪˈwɝk/, /bəˈwɝk/, /biˈwɝk/

Verb

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

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; [...]

See also

• bywork

Anagrams

• Bowker