Past tense of 'bethink,' meaning to remember, recall, or think of something; to come to mind.
From Old English 'bethencan,' combining 'be-' with 'think.' The past tense 'bethought' is regular, but the verb itself is archaic, replaced by modern 'think' or 'remember.'
Bethought' appears constantly in Shakespeare and the King James Bible—'he bethought himself' means 'he suddenly remembered'—and it's why old texts feel they have this dramatic pause before remembrance, because the verb itself creates that moment of recollection.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.