Covered or decorated with patches, especially as a distinctive feature or covering.
From Middle English 'be-' (prefix meaning 'to cover or make') + 'patched' (past participle of patch). The 'be-' prefix was productive in Early Modern English for creating descriptive verbs and adjectives, though many such formations are now archaic.
This word flourished in Shakespeare's time as writers loved adding 'be-' to create vivid images—like describing a beggar's cloak as 'bepatched.' It's a linguistic fossil showing how English speakers played with word formation more freely 400 years ago.
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