- behead
- behead (v.) O.E. beheafdian, from be-, here with privative force, + heafod (see HEAD (Cf. head)). Related: Beheaded; beheading.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
behead
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Behead — Be*head , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Beheaded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Beheading}.] [OE. bihefden, AS. behe[ a]fdian; pref. be + he[ a]fod head. See {Head}.] To sever the head from; to take off the head of. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
behead — [v] decapitate bring to the block, decollate, execute, guillotine, head, kill, neck; concept 176 … New thesaurus
behead — ► VERB ▪ execute (someone) by cutting off their head … English terms dictionary
behead — [bē hed′, bihed′] vt. [ME bihevden < OE beheafdian < be,BE + heafod,HEAD] to cut off the head of; decapitate … English World dictionary
behead — UK [bɪˈhed] / US verb [transitive] Word forms behead : present tense I/you/we/they behead he/she/it beheads present participle beheading past tense beheaded past participle beheaded to cut off someone s head, especially as a punishment … English dictionary
behead — transitive verb Date: before 12th century to cut off the head of ; decapitate … New Collegiate Dictionary
behead — removing the head of a fish … Dictionary of ichthyology
behead — beheadal, n. beheader, n. /bi hed /, v.t. 1. to cut off the head of; kill or execute by decapitation. 2. Geol. (of a pirate stream) to divert the headwaters of (a river, stream, etc.). [bef. 1000; ME behe(f)den, beheveden, OE beheafdian. See BE … Universalium
behead — verb To remove the head. Syn: decapitate, decollate … Wiktionary
Behead — A method of taking away life practised among the Egyptians (Gen. 40:17 19). There are instances of this mode of punishment also among the Hebrews (2 Sam. 4:8; 20:21, 22; 2 Kings 10:6 8). It is also mentioned in the New Testament (Matt. 14:8… … Easton's Bible Dictionary
