v. Obs. or arch. [Common. Teut.: OE. biséon, beséon = OS., OHG. bisehan, Goth. bisaihwan:—OTeut. *bisehwan, f. bi, BE- + *schwan, in OE. séon to SEE, which see for forms.]
I. † 1. intr. To look about, to look (in any direction); to see. Obs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xviii. 2. Abraham beseah upp and ʓeseah þri weras standende.
c. 1200. Moral Ode, 19, in O. E. Misc., 58. Ne may ich bi-seo me bi-fore for smoke.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 6. Heo biseh up on heh.
a. 1240. Sawles Warde, in Lamb. Hom., 253. To … biseon on hare grimfule … nebbes.
b. fig. To look to, give heed to, attend to.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 125. He bise to us and giue us … mihte him to understonde.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in Lamb. Hom., 195. Ilch mon þet to þe bisihð þu ȝiuest milce and ore.
† 2. refl. To look about oneself, look round. Obs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxiv. 63. Þa he hine beseah þa ʓeseah he olfendas þyder weard.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark ix. 8. Sona ða hi besawon hí.
b. fig. To look to oneself, take heed to oneself, consider.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 132. Heo mot wel biseon hire, & biholden hire on ilchere half.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 33. Bisih þe seli meiden.
1297. R. Glouc., 505. The king ne ssolde king leng be, Then holi Thorsdai at non, bote he wolde him bet bise.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. xxvii. 5. What to vs? bise thee. Ibid. (1388), Acts xviii. 15. Bisee ȝou silf.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. xxi. (1859), 22. That I myght haue leyser to bysene my self.
† 3. trans. To look at, look to, behold; to see. Obs.
c. 1000. Ags. Psalter lxxix. [lxxx.] 14. Gehweorf nu … and beseoh winʓeard þisne.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 231. Gief he fend wére . me sceolden … stiarne hine besié . and binde him.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2141. [He] bad him al his lond bisen.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. xlv. (1859), 52. Al these pilgrims ne wylle not … euery daye besene their owne self in a good myrrour.
b. fig. To regard, attend to, give heed to.
a. 1225. Juliana, 57. Vnseli mon, bisih þe hei godd.
1297. R. Glouc., 456. Þre þynges he mot bysee atte bygynnyng.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter v. 2. Myne wordes, Laverd, with eres by-se.
† 4. To see to, provide for, attend to; hence, to deal with, treat, use (well or ill). Obs.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 4605. Foundelynges weore they two, That heore lord by-sayen so.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 201. Lo, hou elde þe hore haþ me byseye.
c. 1425. Seven Sag. (P.), 507. Euele thai gonnen him bisen.
c. 1500. Prymer, in Maskell, Mon. Rit., II. 45, note. Thus thei biseien foule, oure lord king of grace.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., Mutab. i. 11. Ah! gentle Mole, such ioyance hath thee well beseene.
† 5. To provide, arrange, ordain, determine. Obs.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1411. Quan god haueð it so bi-sen, Alse he sendet, als it sal ben. Ibid., 1313. God sal bisen, Quor of ðe ofrende sal ben.
1297. R. Glouc., 422. Þe Sonday he was ycrouned … as hys conseyl bysay.
c. 1305. St. Swithin, 103, in E. E. P. (1862), 46. Þat oure louerd hit haþ biseȝe þat mie bodi schal beo ido In churche in an heȝe stede.
II. Later uses of the pa. pple. Beseen, with qualifying adv. or phrase. Two notions here come in: 1. Seen, as in ‘well-beseen’ = seen to look well; 2. Provided, as in ‘beseen of such power.’
† 6. Seen, viewed; having an appearance, looking. Well-beseen: good looking, well favored. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 167. Meny a fressh lady, and maydyn bryght, Full wele byseyn.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 51. The squier come from a uiage that he hadde ben atte, fresshe and iolyly beseen.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 283. Hymself should ryde in a chairette moste goodly beseen.
[1678. Phillips, App., Besey (old word), of good aspect.]
7. Appearing in respect of dress, etc.; dressed, apparelled, appointed; furnished. Obs. or arch.
c. 1450. Floure & Leafe, 169. More richly beseene, by many fold She was … in every maner thing.
c. 1500. Dunbar, Thistle & Rose, 45. Full hestely besene, In serk and mantill after her I went.
1530. Palsgr., 423. I am besene, I am well or yvell apareylled.
1533. in Arb., Garner, II. 47. Well beseen in velvet.
1629. Holland, Cyrupædia (1632), 15. Himselfe also in person, all royally beseene, was present.
8. Appearing as to accomplishments; furnished: informed, versed, read, accomplished. arch.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 341. How that her kinges be besein Of suche a power.
c. 1565. R. Lindsay, Chron. Scotl. (1728), 12. Prudent men, well beseen in histories both old and new.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 509. Rhetoricke wherein he is well beseene.
1591. Spenser, Tears Muses, 180. I late was wont to … maske in mirth with Graces well beseene.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 380. Each seemed a glorious queen, With all that wondrous daintiness beseen.
9. Of things, in senses analogous to 6, 7. arch.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerkes T., 909. Thogh thyn array be badde, and yuel biseye.
c. 1430. Lydg., Story Thebes, 33. To a chamber she led him … Ful wel beseine.
a. 1440. Sire Degrev., 1686. [The]re gay gownus of grene [We]re ful schamely be-sene.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 224. Set in meddow greene With pleasant flowers all faire beseene.
a. 1850. Wordsw., Cuckoo & Night., lvii. Under a maple that is well beseen.
† b. Hence Best beseen: best attire. Obs.
1602. Carew, Cornwall (1723), 137 b. The Curate in his best beseene, solemnly receued him at the Churchyard stile.
