Bever

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈbiːvÉ™/
• US enPR: bēʹvÉ™r, IPA: /ˈbiːvÉš/
• Homophones: beaver, Belvoir

From Middle English beveren ("to tremble"), frequentative form of Old English beofian, bifian ("to tremble, be moved, shake, quake"), from Proto-Germanic *bibōną, *bibjaną ("to quake, shiver"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoyǝ- ("to frighten, be afraid"). Cognate with Eastern Frisian bevern ("to shiver"), Dutch bibberen ("to shiver, quiver"), Low German beveren ("to shiver"), Dutch beven ("to quake"), German beben ("to quake, tremble"), Swedish bäva ("to quake, tremble"), Icelandic bifa ("to budge, be moved"), Latin foedus ("disgusting, shocking, abominable, heinous").

Full definition of bever

Verb

1. (intransitive) To tremble; shake; quiver; shiver.
• 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D'Arthur, page 25:Wherefore King Ban and King Bors made them ready, and dressed their shields and harness, and they were so courageous that many knights shook and bevered for eagerness.

Derived terms

• bevering

From Old French baviere ("child's bib"), from baver ("to slaver").

Alternative forms

• beaver

Noun

1. A movable covering for the mouth and chin on a close helmet.
• 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 8:Some close helmets have a farther improvement called a bever, the bever when closed covers the mouth and chin, and either lifts up by revolving on the same pivots as the visor, or lets down by means of two or more pivots on each side near the jaws, in which case the bever consists of several laminæ or plates, one shutting over the other.

Anglo-Norman bever, from Old French beivre ("drinking, drink, to drink") (French boire), from Latin bibō.

Noun

1. A drink.
2. (now rare, archaic) A snack or light refreshment between meals.
• 1604, Christopher Marlowe, Dr. Faustus:Thirty meals a day and ten bevers.
• 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.2:It seemeth that wee daily shorten the use of this, and that in our houses (as I have seene in mine infancie) breakfasts, nunchions, and beavers should be more frequent and often used than now adayes they are.
• 1980, Anthony Burgess, Earthly Powers:Very softly I boiled water, made a sandwich from the remains of the luncheon roast chicken, scalded the Twining creature. Then I softly carried my bever to the study on a tray ....

Synonyms

• (drink) drink
• (snack) snack

Verb

1. (obsolete) To take a light repast between meals.

Anagrams

• breve