Standard Lemma guide

besot

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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.

  • General-American: /bɪˈsɑt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /bɪˈsɒt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒt

1

verb

Meaning 1

To muddle, stupefy, or cause to act foolishly, as with alcoholic liquor or infatuation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

make dull or stupid or muddle with drunkenness or infatuation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stupefy

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: desensitize, desensitise

History

Etymology

From be- + sot. Compare to Middle English assoten, assotten (“to act foolishly; fall madly in love, become infatuated”).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: замайвам (zamajvam) — to muddle or stupefy
  • Greek: αποχαυνώνω (apochavnóno) — to muddle or stupefy
  • Greek: αποβλακώνω (apovlakóno) — to muddle or stupefy