An archaic or dialectal word for a beating or blow; alternatively, a variant or archaic spelling related to 'beet' (the vegetable).
From Old English 'bǽtan' or Middle English 'bete' meaning to beat or strike; alternatively may relate to 'beet' from Dutch 'biet' (the vegetable).
This word is so archaic that it's rarely used in modern English, but it appears in old texts where it vividly describes the act of striking someone or something.
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