beseem
/bi'si:m/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (archaic or literary): 1. To be suitable or appropriate for; to befit: Used to indicate that something is proper, fitting, or becoming for a particular person, situation, or status.
Usage
- The verb beseem is used to comment on the propriety or suitability of an action, quality, or appearance in relation to a person or thing. It is almost always followed by an indirect object (often introduced by a pronoun like , , , ) and an infinitive (, , ).
- Important Note: This word is now considered archaic or highly literary. In modern English, words like befit, suit, or become are more commonly used.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The word is most frequently used in the negative form (, ) to state that something is improper or unfitting.
- It can be used with impersonal "it" as a subject:
Variants and Related Words
- Beseeming (adjective, archaic): Suitable, becoming.
- He acted with beseeming modesty.
- Beseemly (adverb, archaic): In a fitting or proper manner.
Synonyms
- Befit: To be suitable or appropriate for.
- Become (archaic in this sense): To be suitable or appropriate for.
- Suit: To be appropriate or acceptable for.
- Befit: To be proper or appropriate for.
Idioms and Phrases
- Ill beseems: Is very unsuitable or improper for. This is a common archaic collocation.
- It ill beseems a teacher to show such ignorance.
Verb
- accord or comport with
- This kind of behavior does not suit a young woman!