Beent

/biːnt/ verb

Definition

Dialectal or archaic past tense of 'be'; 'was not' or 'were not' in some regional English dialects.

Etymology

From Old English 'bēon' (to be), with dialectal contraction and reduction. This form appears in historical texts and regional dialects, especially in rural areas.

Kelly Says

Beent is a relic of how English speakers in certain regions still contract 'been' + 'not' into a single word—similar to how 'ain't' evolved—showing that speakers naturally push toward efficiency in speech!

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