View synonyms for besom

besom

[ bee-zuhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

besom

/ ˈbiːzəm /

a broom, esp one made of a bundle of twigs tied to a handle
curling a broom or brush used to sweep the ice in front of the stone to make it slide farther

besom

/ ˈbizəm; ˈbɪzəm /

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Origin of besom¹

before 1000; Middle English besem, Old English bes ( e ) ma; cognate with Dutch bezem, German Besen

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Origin of besom¹

Old English besma ; related to Old High German besmo broom

Origin of besom²

perhaps from Old English bysen example; related to Old Norse bysn wonder

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When I had washed my foster-sister's feet I took a besom and began to sweep the floor of the house.

The wind favored them, and a besom of flame swept over the devoted town until over one-half of it was laid in ruins.

They had not; but, search being made, sure enough, each husband missed a besom and a riddle.

The notorious besom or broomstick is an instrument in the operations of witchcraft common to all the Aryan nations.

It was seen during the months of November, December, and January, and was called "the fiery besom."

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