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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

betimes en · ADV

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /bəˈtaɪmz/ (UK, US)
  • /bɪˈtaɪmz/ (UK, US)

Etymology

From Middle English betymes, from bi (“by”) + time + adverbial -s. By surface analysis, betime + -s (adverbial suffix). Compare also betides.

Meanings

  1. (dated, not-comparable) In good season or time; early, especially in the morning; seasonably.
    • I was up betimes in the morning, but Holmes was afoot earlier still, for I saw him as I dressed, coming up the drive. 1902, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 13, in The Hound of the Baskervilles:
    • However they dined very early, for the winter dusk fell betimes at this season [...]. 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 786:
    • They slept well that night and betimes next morning the mother of Alaeddin arose and went with her bowl to the King's court which she found closed. 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:
    • Behold, as wilde asses in the desart, goe they foorth to their worke, rising betimes for a pray: the wildernes yeeldeth food for them, and for their children. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 24:5:
    • “I’ll answer for it, that he hath faced both the Catalan and the Moor, in his time, young as he may seem. Thou knowest that the nobles are wont to carry their sons, as children, early into the fight, that they may learn the deeds of chivalry betimes.” 1840, [James Fenimore Cooper], chapter I, in Mercedes of Castile: Or, The Voyage to Cathay. […], volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: Lea and Blanchard, →OCLC, page 20:
    • Smart lad to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay. 1896, A. E. Housman, “To An Athlete Dying Young,”, in A Shropshire Lad:
  2. (archaic, not-comparable) In a short time, soon; quickly, forthwith.
    • [O]ne prayed God right heartily aloud that He would send them betimes a knight that durst convoy them through this strait pass. 1898, The High History of the Holy Graal, translated by Sebastian Evans, Branch IX, Title II
    • Reproving betimes with sharpness...and afterward showing forth an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved[…] 1839, Doctrine and Covenants, 121:43:

Translations (16)

bg своевременно (in good season or time) · ota اركن (in good season or time) · fi pian (in good season or time) · tr zamanında (in good season or time) · sga moch (in good season or time) · tr erkenden (in good season or time) · sv tidigt (in good season or time) · bg навреме (in good season or time) · gd moch (in good season or time) · es al alba (in good season or time) · de beizeiten (in good season or time) · pl zawczasu (in good season or time) · fi aikaisin (in good season or time) · et vara (in good season or time) · tr erken (in good season or time) · tr vaktinde (in good season or time)