v. Forms: 1 bi-, -bemǽnan, 3 bimen-en, 4–5 bi-, bymene, 4–6 bemene, 5 bimeane; 6 beemone, bemoane, 6–7 bemone, 7– bemoan. [OE. bi-, bemǽnan, f. bi-, BE- + mǽnan to moan; the regular modern repr. of this would have been bemean: for the substitution of the existing form, see MOAN.]
1. trans. To moan for; to lament, weep for.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Deut. xxxiv. 8. Þa heofungdaʓas wæron þa ʓefyllede þe hiʓ Moisen bemændon.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 13. Þenne wille ȝe … sunne bimenen.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 4150. .xxx. daiȝes wep israel for his dead and bi-ment it wel.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4225. Ys trewe baronye be-mend him sore.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. xxx. They playne and the death bimeane Of worthy Hector.
1563. Myrr. Mag., Induct., xvii. 2. Luckeles lot for to bemone.
1653. Walton, Angler, i. 17. The children of Israel … bemoaning the ruines of Sion.
a. 1732. Gay, Poems (1745), I. 97. Her piteous tale the winds in sighs bemoan.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, lix. She bemoaned her miseries in the sweetest voice.
2. refl. To lament or bewail one’s lot.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 798, in O. E. Misc., 25. Bimene we us, we hauen don wrong.
c. 1314. Guy Warw., 5. He gan to wepe … And biment him wel reweliche.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xx. (1483), 67. See how my sone … Bymeneth hym in herte chere and voys.
1625. Bacon, Envy, Ess. (Arb.), 514. Politique persons … are euer bemoaning themselues, what a Life they lead.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 486. Tillotson bemoaned himself with unfeigned … sorrow to Lady Russell.
3. intr. or with subord. cl. To lament, grieve.
c. 1305. St. Edm. Conf., 426, in E. E. P., 82. Hi bimende & ofþoȝte sore: þat hi hiȝede þider so faste.
1460. in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 157. Yf thow owght morne, I shall bemene.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. ii. § 5. We rather bemoan she lost it so soon.
1833. Lamb, Elia (1860), 238. I do not know whether I ought to bemoan or rejoice that my old friend is departed.
† 4. trans. with cogn. obj.: To utter with moans.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 346. His firste pleinte to bemene Unto the citee of Athene He goth him forth.
5. To express pity for, condole with.
c. 1300. Beket, 983. Therfore we ne bymeneth the noȝt: for thu noldest beo awar bifore.
c. 1305. St. Kenelm, 236, in E. E. P. (1862), 54. He nere noȝt to bymene Þeȝ his larder were neȝ ido.
1611. Bible, Job xlii. 11. They bemoned him, and comforted him ouer all the euill … brought vpon him.
