Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb intransitive, obsolete To
shake ;tremble .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From Middle English bivien, beofian, from Old English bifian, beofian ("to tremble, be moved, shake, quake"), from Proto-Germanic *bibōnan, *bibēnan (“to quake, shiver”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoyǝ- (“to frighten, be afraid”). Cognate with Dutch beven ("to quake"), German beben ("to quake, tremble"), Swedish bäva ("to quake, tremble"), Icelandic bifa ("to budge, be moved"), Latin foedus ("disgusting, shocking, abominable, heinous"). More at bever.
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Examples
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Cooper (W. Durrant), on bive and chute lambs, 474.
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The little iHand, St. HclicTf oihcr European fruit trees and vines, which about a mile in circuit, contains Elizabeth bive been planted here do not fucceed.
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We bive croflcd tbe Rabicoa; lee as «ow crofs the Red Se«; let tt« wade, in blood.
The Monthly Review 1776
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