befriend
AI In plain words
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
befriend
- /bɪˈfɹɛnd/ UK
- /bəˈfɹɛnd/ US
- /bi-/ US
Rhymes with -ɛnd
Where it comes from
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épider.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi
Proto-Germanic *bider.
Proto-Germanic *bi-
Proto-West Germanic *bi-
Old English be-
Middle English bi-
English be-
Proto-Indo-European *preyH-
Proto-Indo-European *-ós
Proto-Indo-European *priHós
Proto-Germanic *frijōną
Proto-Germanic *frijōndz
Proto-West Germanic *friund
Old English frēond
Middle English frend
English friend
English befriend
From be- (intensifying prefix) + friend (verb).
cognates
* Dutch bevrienden (“to befriend”)
* German befreunden (“to befriend”)
* German Low German befründen (“to befriend”)
* Saterland Frisian befrüündje (“to befriend”)
* West Frisian befreone (“befriended”)
verb befriends · befriending · befriended · befriend
- To become a friend of (someone), to make friends with (someone). Good Seruilius, vvill you befriend mee ſo farre, as to vſe mine ovvne vvords to him?
- To act as a friend to (someone, especially a client) by providing companionship and support; to assist, to help. [B]e ſure employ ſome of the Servants to hold the Horſe vvhen your Maſter mounts. This I vvould have you do, vvhen your Maſter only alights, to call in for a fevv Minutes: For Brother-ſervants muſt alvvays befriend one another, and that alſo concerns your Maſter's Honour; becauſe he cannot do leſs t
- To benefit or favour (someone or something); also, to advocate or promote (someone or something). Hence therefore, euery leader to his charge, / For on their anſvvere vvill vve ſet on them, / And God befriend vs as our cauſe is juſt.
