besetverb/bɪˈsɛt/

• 1

  Senses relating to surrounding.

  • He that hath read Seneca or Boethius, is well provided against any ordinary misfortune; and to have by heart the story of Argalus and Parthenia; the dolorous madrigals of old Plangus in the Arcadia; or the history of Pyramus and Thisbe, is a never failing remedy for the mubble-fubbles: For to be acquainted with sadness, besets familiarity, and familiars never kill one another, unless the devil is in them.
  • “Nay, for matter o’ that, he never doth any mischief,” said the woman; “but to be sure it is necessary he should keep some arms for his own safety; for his house hath been beset more than once; and it is not many nights ago that we thought we heard thieves about it […]
• 2

  Senses relating to surrounding.

• 3

  Senses relating to surrounding.

• 4

  archaicSenses relating to surrounding.

  • For thou, deere Lord, thou me besett'st; / Thy rodd and thy staff be / To comfort me: […]
  • Thou me beſetſt behind, before, / and laidſt thine hand on me, / Such knovvledge is for me too ſtrange, / it to attain's^([sic – meaning attainest]) too hie [high].
• 5

  archaicnauticaltransportSenses relating to surrounding.

• 6

  Senses relating to surrounding.

  • Fred Brentnall, in his squeaky lorikeet voice reads to the House Lawson's last two stanzas, just to highlight the danger besetting the colony of Queensland, indeed, the whole country:[…]
  • Some of Grimsby's other (extraordinarily up-to-date) targets include Donald Trump and Daniel Radcliffe, whose fates here are too breath-catchingly cruel to spoil, and also the admirably game Strong, whose character is beset by a constant stream of humiliations that hit with the force of a jet of … well, you'll see.
• 7

  archaicgovernmentmilitarypoliticsSenses relating to surrounding.

• 8

  obsoleteSenses relating to surrounding.