Behead

  • 1Behead — Be*head , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Beheaded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Beheading}.] [OE. bihefden, AS. behe[ a]fdian; pref. be + he[ a]fod head. See {Head}.] To sever the head from; to take off the head of. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2behead — (v.) O.E. beheafdian, from be , here with privative force, + heafod (see HEAD (Cf. head)). Related: Beheaded; beheading …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3behead — [v] decapitate bring to the block, decollate, execute, guillotine, head, kill, neck; concept 176 …

    New thesaurus

  • 4behead — ► VERB ▪ execute (someone) by cutting off their head …

    English terms dictionary

  • 5behead — [bē hed′, bihed′] vt. [ME bihevden < OE beheafdian < be,BE + heafod,HEAD] to cut off the head of; decapitate …

    English World dictionary

  • 6behead — UK [bɪˈhed] / US verb [transitive] Word forms behead : present tense I/you/we/they behead he/she/it beheads present participle beheading past tense beheaded past participle beheaded to cut off someone s head, especially as a punishment …

    English dictionary

  • 7behead — transitive verb Date: before 12th century to cut off the head of ; decapitate …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 8behead — removing the head of a fish …

    Dictionary of ichthyology

  • 9behead — beheadal, n. beheader, n. /bi hed /, v.t. 1. to cut off the head of; kill or execute by decapitation. 2. Geol. (of a pirate stream) to divert the headwaters of (a river, stream, etc.). [bef. 1000; ME behe(f)den, beheveden, OE beheafdian. See BE …

    Universalium

  • 10behead — verb To remove the head. Syn: decapitate, decollate …

    Wiktionary