v. Obs. exc. in pa. pple. besprent. Forms: 1 besprengan, 2–4 bisprenge(n, 5 besprenge(n. Pa. t. 3–5 bi-, bysprengede, 5 besprenged, 6 besprent. Pa. pple. 3–5 bi-, bysprenged, 4–6 besprenct, 5 bysprincte, 4–5 bi-, bespreynt, 6 besprinct, -spraynte, -sprint, -spreigned, 6–7 -spreinct, -spreint, 6– besprent. [OE. bespręngan, f. BE- 1 + spręngan to sprinkle:—OTeut. sprangjan, causal of springan to SPRING. MHG., mod.G., MDu. and Du. have all besprengen in same sense. No part appears after 1600, exc. the pa. pple., and this mostly as ppl. adj. See BESPRING and BESPRENT v.; also BESPRINK.]
1. trans. To sprinkle (anything) over: a. with moisture or powder: To besprinkle, asperse.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 190. Besprenge hyne mid þam wætere.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 73. Bi-spreng me lauerd mid buhsumnesse.
1388. Wyclif, Isa. lii. 15. He schal bisprenge many folkis.
c. 1430. Syr Generides, 7068. Asshes with the water she menged And her white legges al be-sprenged.
1494. Fabyan, VI. clxxxv. 185. Whome she besprent with many a salte tere.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XII. ci. His siluer locks with dust he foule besprent.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 126. Being bespreint, dashed, and drenched quite therewith. Ibid. (1606), Sueton., 150. As himselfe sacrificed, bespreinct he was with the bloud.
b. with spots or patches of coloring: To speckle.
1388. Wyclif, Gen. xxx. 39. Spotti beestis, and dyuerse, and bispreynt with dyuerse colour.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, A viij b. Euery tercellis braylis been bysprenged with blake speckes.
2. To sprinkle (a substance or things) about.
a. 1529. Skelton, Vox Pop., 182. From Scotland to Kent This preachyng was bysprennt. Ibid., Epit. Dk. Bedforde, 76. Deth wyth me doloure So hath bespraynte.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 28. Insecta … having for all this life proportionably and equally besprent throughout the whole bodie.
1820. Byron, Juan, V. xlvi. O’er the front There seemed to be besprent a deal of gilding.
