Forms: 3–4 bigile(n, 4 bygille, 4–5 bigyle, bygile, 4–6 begile, 4–7 begyle, 5 bygyle, -ile, 4– beguile. [f. BE- 2 + GUILE v., cognate with WILE. The development of senses 3, 4, 5, is analogous to that of AMUSE, q.v.]
1. trans. To entangle or over-reach with guile; to delude, deceive, cheat.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 270. Non so wis ne so war … þet nis bigiled oðer hwules.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 716. And thoght hou he mith man bigile [v.r. bi-will].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Canon-Yem. Prol. & T., 832. Lo thus byiaped and bigiled [v.r. bygiled, begiled, bygyled] was he.
c. 1450. Merlin, 9. The feende myght neuer be-gyle her.
1552. Latimer, Serm. Lincolnsh., ii. 73. Esau wept when Jacob begyled him.
1653. Walton, Angler, 170. That you may … beguile this crafty fish.
1663. Cowley, Verses & Ess. (1669), 20. The foolish Lights which Travailers beguile.
1821. Joanna Baillie, Met. Leg., Lady G. B., ii. Are not my eyes beguiled?
1858. Longf., M. Standish, VIII. 81. Into an ambush beguiled, cut off with the whole of his forces.
b. absol.
c. 1305. St. James, 39, in E. E. P., 59. Leue to bigyli & bitraye also In eche quyntise þat mai.
1382. Wyclif, Isa. xxviii. 22. And now wileth not bigilen [1388 nyle ȝe scorne; Coverd., make no mockes]. Ibid., Job xl. 24. Whether thou shalt begile to hym as to a bird.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., X. liv. 242. For it a Nature was in Stukelie to begile.
2. To deprive of by fraud, to cheat out of.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8632. Qui has þu me bigiled [Cott. bisuiken] sua Of mi child þat mi-selue bar?
1394. P. Pl. Crede, 51. Wymmen … begileth hem of her good wiþ glauerynge wordes.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., III. i. § 12, Wks. 1841, I. 285. Infants are beguiled of their right.
1611. Bible, Col. ii. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward.
1771. Mackenzie, Man Feel., xxxiv. (1800), 113. ‘I fear,’ said he, ‘sleep has beguiled me of my time.’
1826. Scott, Woodst., xxxviii. Time is beguiling man of his strength.
† 3. To cheat (hopes, expectations, aims, or a person in them); to disappoint, to foil. Obs.
1483. Caxton, Cato, C vi. He is begyled for he findeth nothyng.
1576. Baker, Gesner’s Jewell of Health, 201 a. This drinck rightly ministred never fayleth nor beguyleth the Phisition.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 37. Thou hast beguild my hopes.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. xi. 25. The knight was wroth to see his stroke beguil’d.
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1792), I. 165 (Jam.). The lord Aboyn … still looking for the coming of his soldiers, but he was beguiled.
4. To win the attention or interest of (any one) by wiling means; to charm, divert, amuse; to wile (one) on, or into any course.
[a. 1225. Ancr. R., 330. Edmodnesse eadiliche bigileð ure Louerd … & biȝit of his gode.]
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 1404. It beguil’d attention, charm’d the sight.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., vii. 177. Fertile in devices for beguiling mankind into virtue.
1872. Jenkinson, Guide Eng. Lakes (1879), 198. The charms of this stream will beguile the tourist and diminish the toil of the ascent.
5. To divert attention in some pleasant way from (anything painful, or irksome); to elude the disagreeable sensation of, and so to cause to pass insensibly or pleasantly; to charm away, wile away.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. i. 35. Take choyse of all my Library, And so beguile thy sorrow. Ibid. (1601), Twel. N., III. iii. 41. I will bespeake our dyet, Whiles you beguile the time.
1718. Pope, Iliad, II. 788. Pleasing conference beguiles the day.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 152. By sports like these are all their cares beguil’d.
1802. Southey, Thalaba, IV. With various talk beguiling the long way.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 177. Took a book to beguile the tedious hours.
