Besom
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈbiË.zÉ™m
Origin
From Middle English besme, beseme, from Old English besma, besema ("besom, broom, rod"), from Proto-Germanic *besmô, *besamô ("broom"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰes- ("to rub off, grind, sprinkle"). Cognate with Scots besom, bisom ("a sweeping implement, broom"), West Frisian biezem ("broom"), Dutch bezem ("broom"), Low German bessen ("broom"), German Besen ("broom").
Full definition of besom
Noun
besom
(plural besoms)- A broom made from a bundle of twigs tied onto a shaft.
Derived terms
Verb
- (archaic, poetic) To sweep.
- 1954, Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood'', page 13,Now, in her iceberg-white, holily laundered crinoline nightgown, under virtuous polar sheets, in her spruced and scoured dust-defying bedroom in trig and trim Bay View, a house for paying guests at the top of the town, Mrs Ogmore-Prichard widow, twice, of Mr Ogmore, linolium, retired, and Mr Prichard, failed bookmaker, who maddened by besoming, swabbing and scrubbing, the voice of the vacuum-cleaner and the fume of polish, ironically swallowed disinfectant...