different between behight vs belight

English

Alternative forms

• behote (13th-16th centuries)

Etymology

From Middle English beheten, bihaten, behoten (preterite behighte), from Old English beh?tan (“to promise, vow, pledge oneself, threaten”) (preterite beh?hte), corresponding to be- +? hight. Cognate with Scots beheit, behecht (“to promise, vow”), Middle High German beheizen (“to promise”).

Verb

behight (third-person singular simple present behights, present participle behighting, simple past and past participle behight or behighted)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To vow, promise (someone).
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book II:

     Thenne I behote yow sayd Balyn parte of his blood to hele youre sone with alle.

2. (dialectal, Northern England) To be designated.

   Wheea behight thee? = What is your name/to whom do you belong?

3. (obsolete, transitive) To give in trust; to commit; to entrust.
4. (obsolete) To mean, or intend.
   • 1559, unknown author, Mirror for Magistrates

     More than heart behighteth.

5. (obsolete) To consider or esteem to be; to declare to be.
6. (obsolete) To call; to name; to address.
7. (obsolete) To command; to order.

Noun

behight (plural behights)

1. (obsolete) A vow; a promise.

English

Etymology

From Middle English bilihten (“to illuminate”); equivalent to be- +? light. Compare Dutch belichten.

Verb

belight (third-person singular simple present belights, present participle belighting, simple past and past participle belighted or belit)

1. (transitive, rare, dialectal) To light up; illuminate.
2. (intransitive, rare, dialectal) To become lit up; shine up; dawn.