different between behang vs befang

English

Etymology

From Middle English *behangen, behongen, bihangien, bihengen, from Old English beh?n (“to hang round”), equivalent to be- +? hang. Cognate with Dutch behangen (“to decorate”), German behängen (“to hang, drape, decorate”).

Verb

behang (third-person singular simple present behangs, present participle behanging, simple past and past participle behung)

1. (transitive) To hang round or about, as ornament or embellishment; suspend; drape.
   • 1824, Richard Johnson, The renowned history of the seven champions of Christendom:

     Now seven times had frosty-bearded Winter covered both herbs and flowers with snow, and behung the trees with crystal icicles, since the unfortunate St. George beheld the cheerful light of heaven, but lived obscure in a dismal dungeon, […]

   • 1890, Robert Herrick, William Carew Hazlitt, Hesperides:

     And with rich clusters (hid among / The leaves) her temples I behung: […]

   • 1874, Plutarch, John Dryden, Arthur Hugh Clough, Plutarch's lives:

     Moreover, when they have introduced the bride, they spread a fleece under her; and she, having brought in with her a distaff and a spindle, all behangs her husband's door with woollen yarn?

Derived terms

• behung

Anagrams

• Ah Beng

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b?????/
• Hyphenation: be?hang
• Rhymes: -??

Etymology 1

From behangen.

Noun

behang n (uncountable, diminutive behangetje n)

1. wallpaper

   Synonyms: behangpapier, behangselpapier

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

behang

1. first-person singular present indicative of behangen
2. imperative of behangen

English

Alternative forms

• befong

Etymology

From Middle English befon (past participle befangen), from Old English bef?n (“to surround, clasp, include, envelop, encase, clothe, comprehend, seize, attack (at law), lay hold of, catch, ensnare, contain, receive, conceive, explain”), equivalent to be- +? fang. Cognate with Dutch bevangen (“to seize”), Middle High German bev?hen (“to comprehend”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [b??fæ?]

Verb

befang (third-person singular simple present befangs, present participle befanging, simple past and past participle befanged)

1. (transitive, Britain dialectal, Yorkshire) To lay hold on; seize; grasp; catch; clutch.

   Come here an' I'll befang thee!

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To take hold on; begin or commence upon.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To encompass; enclose; contain; comprehend.

References

• Wright, Joseph (1898) The English Dialect Dictionary?^[1], volume 1, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 225
• Philological Society (Great Britain), A new English dictionary on historical principles, Befong.