All 5 Uses of
beseech
in
The Scarlet Letter
- And the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale's best discerning friends, as we have intimated, very reasonably imagined that the hand of Providence had done all this for the purpose—besought in so many public and domestic and secret prayers—of restoring the young minister to health.†
Chpt 9
- With these remorseful feelings, he lost no time in making the amplest apologies, and besought his friend still to continue the care which, if not successful in restoring him to health, had, in all probability, been the means of prolonging his feeble existence to that hour.†
Chpt 10
- Come with me, I beseech you, Reverend sir, else you will be poorly able to do Sabbath duty to-morrow.†
Chpt 12 *
- The complaint of a human heart, sorrow-laden, perchance guilty, telling its secret, whether of guilt or sorrow, to the great heart of mankind; beseeching its sympathy or forgiveness,—at every moment,—in each accent,—and never in vain!†
Chpt 22
- And, as Hester Prynne had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment, people brought all their sorrows and perplexities, and besought her counsel, as one who had herself gone through a mighty trouble.†
Chpt 24
Definition:
-
(beseech) to ask strongly or beg for somethingeditor's notes: Beseech is common in classic literature. Though its usage has doubled in recent decades, it remains a rare word in modern writing.
Synonym Comparison (if you're into word choice):
Beseech is similar to beg or entreat. Beg implies the request for a personal favor, while entreat implies an attempt to overcome resistance.