noun
Meaning 1
A kind of double-bladed axe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
besague
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
/ˈbɛs.ə.ɡju/
noun
Meaning 2
A kind of martel or war-hammer, with its head(s) shaped like a pick, mattock, or beak.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A plate (as of armor) that protects an otherwise-exposed area, such as the armpit (alternative form of besagew), the elbow, or the hand
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English besague, besagu, besagew, from Old French besague, whence also English besagew (“rondel, armor protecting the armpit”), related to Latin bisacuta (Italian bisacuto (“double-edged”)) and besogium. Applied, in the Middle Ages, to a variety of medieval weapons or tools with two blades, edges, or faces, especially a double-bladed axe or war-hammer, but also to iron-headed cornuted staffs, clubs, or maces, spades, hoes, mattocks, and even knives.
Across languages
Translations
4 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Catalan: vairescut — armor protecting the armpit, etc
- German: Schwebescheibe — armor protecting the armpit, etc
- Polish: tarczka opachowa — armor protecting the armpit, etc
- Spanish: varaescudo — armor protecting the armpit, etc