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occ's avatar

Where does the prefix "be" come from in words like befuddled, bedazzled, bedecked, etc?

Asked by occ (2748points) | asked November 8th, 2006 | 1 response | “Great Question” (0points) | Flag as…
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JJ's avatar
It's really of deep english origin, often identified as an uninflected form of 'by', but also as a form derived from the same indo-european root as the verb 'be'. This accounts for its numerous meanings (proximate, thoroughly, covered in, on, around, etc., or even when used as just an intensifier for an adjective, verb, or participle)
JJ (29points)“Great Answer” (6points) Flag as…

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