Dictionary

bework en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /bɪˈwɝk/ (General-American)
• /bɪˈwɜːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /bəˈwɝk/ (General-American)
• /biˈwɜːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /biˈwɝk/ (General-American)
• /bəˈwɜːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English bewurchen, from Old English bewyrċean, bewyrċan (“to work, construct, surround with, enclose, cover, work in, insert, adorn”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- + *wirkijaną (“to work”), equivalent to be- + work. Cognate with North Frisian bewerke (“to bework, edit”), Dutch bewerken (“to work, manipulate”), German bewirken (“to bring about, effect”), Danish bevirke (“to cause”). More at be-, work.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To work around or about; surround.
2. (transitive) To work, as with thread; embroider.
3. (transitive) To work over; rework; edit.
   • The author, who knows the answer, beworks his brains to give it in a satisfactory and intelligible form to his audience; [...] 1882, John Devenish Hoppus, Riverside papers:

Forms

Relateds

bywork