All 20 Uses of
beseech
in
The Ramayana
- But when they hear the monarch's speech, All these their master will beseech, With trembling hearts and looks of woe, To spare them, for they fear to go.†
Book 1
- For him beseeching hands I lift, And pray you all to grant the gift, That four fair sons of high renown The offerings of the king may crown.†
Book 1 *beseeching = asking or begging
- The glorious hermit Rishyasring Drew near and thus besought the king: "Return, my honoured lord, I pray, Return, upon thy homeward way."†
Book 1besought = asked strongly or begged for something
- Soon as the joyful tale he knew To meet the saint the monarch flew, The guest-gift in his hand he brought, And bowed before him and besought: "This day by seeing thee I gain Not to have lived my life in vain, Now be not wroth with me, I pray, "Because I wiled thy son away.†
Book 1
- Thus in fair words with virtue fraught The pious glorious saint besought.†
Book 1
- Thus to Lord Indra, Thousand-eyed, Softly beseeching Diti sighed.†
Book 1beseeching = asking or begging
- Then Ráma bathed in order due, His mind from worldly thoughts withdrew, And with his large-eyed wife besought Náráya?†
Book 2besought = asked strongly or begged for something
- So thus to share his exile, she Besought him with each earnest plea, Nor could she yet her lord persuade To take her to the lonely shade.†
Book 2
- This is the pledge and oath I swore, What thou besoughtest, and no more, Of Ráma—for I heard thee, dame— When he for consecration came.†
Book 2besoughtest = asked strongly or begged for somethingstandard suffix: Today, the suffix "-est" is dropped, so that where they said "Thou besoughtest" in older English, later they said, "You besought."
- By thee besought, thy guilty dame Pardon from thee can scarcely claim.†
Book 2besought = asked strongly or begged for something
- Thus the Nishádas' king besought: The prince with spirit wisdom-fraught Replied in seemly words that blent Deep matter with the argument: "Thou, friend of him whom I revere, With honours high hast met me here, For thou alone wouldst entertain And feed to-day so vast a train."†
Book 2
- She to his mind that promise brought, And then the best of kings besought To bid me to the forest flee, And give the rule, O Prince, to thee.†
Book 2
- The chief whose soul to virtue clave This answer to the hermit gave: "I prayed him with our holy guide: But Raghu's son our prayer denied, And long besought by both of us He answered Saint Vasish?†
Book 2
- As thus she spake in envious ire, The aged king, my husband's sire, Besought with fitting words; but she Was cold and deaf to every plea.†
Book 3
- But Ráma, when the king, to greet His friend, had bowed him at his feet, Raised him who ruled the Vánar race, And held him in a close embrace: Then, when his arms he had unknit, Besought him by his side to sit, And thus with gentle words the best Of men the Vánar king addressed: "The prince who well his days divides, And knows aright the times and tides To follow duty, joy, or gain, He, only he, deserves to reign.†
Book 4
- Thus Ráma and Sugríva met, And joined the bonds that knit them yet, When each besought the other's aid, And friendship and alliance made.†
Book 5
- (863) just and wise, Besought him to restore his prize†
Book 5
- To Angad came with one accord The Vánars, and besought their lord That they those honeyed stores might eat That made the grove so passing sweet.†
Book 5
- va's son who loved the truth And clave to virtue from his youth: "Strike not the suppliant when he stands And asks thee with beseeching hands For shelter: strike him not although He were thy father's mortal foe.†
Book 6beseeching = asking or begging
- Through her worn frame a shiver ran As Saramá her tale began: "There stood the royal mother: she Besought her son to set thee free, And to her counsel, tears and prayers, The elder nobles added theirs: "O be the Maithil queen restored With honour to her angry lord, Let Janasthán's unhappy fight Be witness of the hero's might.†
Book 6besought = asked strongly or begged for something
Definition:
to ask strongly or beg for something
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.
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.