1. trans. To affect with a foolish, blinding affection; to cause to dote on; to infatuate with.
1581. Campion, in Confer., IV. (1584), A a iiij b. He might be taken with the loue of his eies towards her, to be besotted with her.
1637. Heywood, Dial., ii. Wks. 1874, VI. 118. It shall besot thee on some sordid Swaine.
1675. Art Contentm., viii. § 5. 217. The kind aspects of the world are very enchanting, apt to inveigle and besot us.
1748–1864. [see BESOTTED 1.].
2. To make mentally or morally stupid or blind; to stupefy in mind.
1615. Bp. Hall, Contempl. N. T., IV. iv. Impiety is wont to besot men.
1660. Fuller, Mixt Contempl. (1841), 231. Till they besot their understandings.
1822. Hazlitt, Men & Mann., Ser. II. v. (1869), 122. Such persons are in fact besotted with words.
1877. Sparrow, Serm., xix. 249. To besot the minds of men with ignorance and superstition.
3. To stupefy in the brain, make a sot of. (Said of narcotics.) Also absol.
1627. Drayton, Agincourt, etc., 134. They no sooner tooke this drinke; But nought into their braines could sinke, Of what had them besotted.
1692. Tryon, Good House w., xxvi. 209. Opium … stupifying and besotting them, even as the superfluous drinking of … strong Drinks does.
1755. Young, Centaur, ii. Wks. 1757, IV. 137. Pleasure … has an opiate in it; it stupefies, and besots.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, I. xiv. I besotted myself and gambled and drank.
