behight definition

1. To promise; to vow. "Behight by vow unto the chaste Minerve." (Surrey)

2. To give in trust; to commit; to intrust. "The keys are to thy hand behight." (Spenser)

3. To adjudge; to assign by authority. "The second was to Triamond behight." (Spenser)

4. To mean, or intend. "More than heart behighteth." (Mir. For Mag)

5. To consider or esteem to be; to declare to be. "All the lookers-on him dead behight." (Spenser)

6. To call; to name; to address. "Whom . . . He knew and thus behight." (Spenser)

7. To command; to order. "He behight those gates to be unbarred." (Spenser)

Origin: OE. Bihaten, AS. Behatan to vow, promise; pref. Be- + hatan to call, command. See Hight.

(01 Mar 1998)