beleaguer
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beleaguer
- /bɪˈliː.ɡə/ UK
- /bɪˈli.ɡɚ/ US
- /biˈli.ɡɚ/ US
Rhymes with -iːɡə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Dutch belegeren and/or Middle Low German belēgeren; equivalent to be- + lair. Compare also German belagern, Danish belejre. The English spelling was perhaps influenced by unrelated league.
verb beleaguers · beleaguering · beleaguered · beleagure
-
To besiege; to surround with troops.
I have read in some old marvellous tale, / Some legend strange and vague, / That a midnight host of spectres pale / Beleaguered the walls of Prague. // Beside the Moldau's rushing stream, / With the wan moon overhead, / There stood, as in an awful dream, / The army of the dead.
Similar: beset, belay, encircle, invest, lay siege to
-
To vex, harass, or beset.
Similar: badger, harry, plague, bait, bedevil, beleaguer, persecute, dog, bullyrag, besiege, bug, devil
-
To exhaust.
Similar: do for, wear down, beleaguer, exhaust, fatigue, fordo, gas out, get down, jade, knock up, poop, run someone ragged
Translations
Talk about this word "beleaguer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/beleaguer. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. beleaguer. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/beleaguer "beleaguer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/beleaguer.Cite this
@misc{beleaguer_2026,
title = {beleaguer},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/beleaguer},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
