OriginFrom Middle English besitten, from Old English besittan (“to sit round, surround, beset, besiege, hold, council, occupy, possess”), from Proto-West Germanic *bisittjan, from Proto-Germanic *bisitjaną (“to sit near, sit among or around”), equivalent to be- + sit. Cognate with Dutch bezitten, German besitzen, Norwegian Bokmål besitte, Danish besidde, Swedish besitta, Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (bisitan).
- transitiveTo sit around; sit about; besiege.
“When not deep in thought, his blue eyes dance. I feel sometimes that behind his thoughtful gaze besits a hint of strain.”
- transitiveTo sit upon; occupy.
“In such contexts, the ישבים are those who “besit” large estates and seats of judgment and power. The ישב par excellence is the king who “besits” the throne.”
- obsolete, transitiveTo sit properly upon, as clothes; to suit; become.
Formsbesits(present, singular, third-person) · besitting(participle, present) · besat(past) · besat(participle, past) · besitten(archaic, participle, past)