Dictionary

benettle en · VERB

Etymology

From be- + nettle.

Meanings

1. To nettle: ▸ To whip or sting with nettles.
   • Next to the body let no one gird (or, belt) herself with any kind of belt, except by a confessor's permission, or [let anyone] wear any iron, or haircloth, or hedgehog's skins, or beat herself with them, or with a leaded scourge (i.e., a lead-tipped scourge), with holly or with briars, or bloody herself without [her] confessor's permission, in no place benettle herself (i.e., whip herself with nettles), or beat [herself] in front, or cut any slashes, or take at one time [any bodily] punishments too severe in order to quench temptations. 2000, Robert J. Hasenfratz, Ancrene wisse, page 404:
   • As they retraced their benettled footsteps, Mr Truscott's silent rage was such as to obscure even […] 1968, Evelyn Berckman, The Heir of Starvelings, page 56:
2. (obsolete) To nettle: ▸ To vex or provoke.
   • Where men of ordinary skill, May have the fortune, if they will, To keep in circumstances middling By nothing in the world but piddling ; Hence, with their fancies thus benettled, The future course of life is settled : 1814, David Hitchcock, The Social Monitor, page 43:
   • Sir Geore ^([sic]) benettles the Grand Commander of Iowa for saying that "as Templars we are not judged by any standard or creed " And behold we humbly ask, "Is not Grand Commander correct? 1894, Proceedings of the Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of the State of Mississippi, page 75:
   • It seems for this you felt yourself benettled ; You grieve that all as bad has not been settled. 1877, Detroit Amateur, The Croaker, page 22:

Forms