Forms: 1–2 béah, 3 beȝ, beie, beh, behȝ, 3–4 beȝe, 4 beygh, byȝe, bie, beeȝ, 5 beghe, be, bey, 4–5 by(e, 4–9 bee. [Com. Teut.: OE. béaʓ, béah = ON. baugr, OHG. bouc:—OTeut. *baugo-z ring, f. pret. stem of the vb. *bug-, baug-, to bow, bend (intr.). The modern form in south would prob. have been by, or bigh (cf. high, nigh): bee is the northern type.]
† 1. A ring or torque of metal, usually meant for the arm or neck; but in one case at least used of a finger-ring. Obs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxviii. 18. Þínne hring & þíne béah and þínne stæf.
a. 1100. in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 313. Armilla, beah.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 193. Þu ham ȝiuest … beies and gold ringes.
c. 1205. Lay., 24520. Enne beh of rede gold. Ibid., 21640. Behȝes [1250 beȝes] of golde.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 1572. Riche beyghes, besans, and pans.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 466. On arme oþer fynger, þaȝ þou ber byȝe.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. Prol. 161. Beren biȝes [v.r. beiȝes, behes, byes, beȝes] ful briȝte abouten here nekkes.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. i. 9. A beȝe [1388 bie] to thi necke.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. III. 331. A bye is torques in Latyn.
c. 1440. Morte Arth. (Roxb.), 84. Pomelles bryghte as goldis beghe. Ibid., 102. Wt many a besaunte, broche, and be.
1483. Cath. Angl., 24. A Bee, armilla, brachiale.
1487. Paston Lett., III. 464. A bee with a grete pearl.
c. 1490. Howard Househ. Bks., 394. Item, for beyes, roppe, and streyneres xjd.
1552. Huloet, Bee or collar of gold or syluer, torques.
2. Nautical: bees, bee-blocks, bee-seating; see quot.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 74. At the outer end, and on each side of the bowsprit, inside the cap, bees and bee blocks are bolted, for the topmast stays to reeve through. Ibid. Where it rests on the stem is the bed, and the remainder the beeseating.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Bee, a ring or hoop of metal … Bee-blocks, pieces of hard wood, bolted to the outer end of the bowsprit, to reeve the fore mast stays through.
