Becrimes

/bɪˈkraɪmz/ verb

Definition

Commits crimes or makes something criminal; third-person singular form of becrime.

Etymology

Third-person singular present tense of 'becrime,' formed with the '-s' suffix for singular subjects in present tense.

Kelly Says

Using 'becrime' as a verb is rare now, but it shows how Early Modern English wanted one word to mean 'cause to be criminal'—compare modern English, where we need 'incriminate' (from Latin) to express the same idea. We've lost the efficiency of these old 'be-' formations.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.