Bist

Origin

From Middle English bist, beest, best, from Old English bist ("(thou) art"; second person singular of bēon ("to be")), from Proto-Germanic *biusi ("(thou) art"), equivalent to be + -est. Cognate with West Frisian bist ("(thou) art"), Low German büst ("(thou) art"), German bist ("(thou) art").

Verb

verb

1. (UK dialectal, Bristol, Northern England) Originally used to form the second person singular of be, but can denote other present tense forms, such as: are, am, is
• 1875, Mark Lemon, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Punch:Thee bist rayther too much a feelosofer, I be afeard, for me.
• 1904, Henry Branch, Cotswold and vale:Lookee, thee bist purty, my love; lookee, thee bist purty: thee hast dove's eyes betwix thy locks; thy locks be like a flock o' ship fur thickedness.
2. Where bist goin'.
3. Where are you going?
4. I bist goin' 'ome.
5. I am going home
6. How bist?
7. How are you?

Related terms

• bin
• bisn't

Anagrams

• bits, tibs