befriendv.
/bɪˈfrɛnd/ 1. transitive. To act as a friend to, to help, favour; to assist, promote, further.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > make friends with [verb (transitive)] > act as friend to or befriend
befriend1559
frienda1592
to run with ——1875
1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates 613 (R.) That..you may befriend My wretched soule with quicke dispatch in death.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Timon of Athens (1623) iii. ii. 58 Will you befriend mee so farre, as to vse mine owne words to him? View more context for this quotation
1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 28 Be thou the first true Merit to befriend.
1752 E. Young Brothers ii. i Wait an occasion that befriends your wishes.
1868 J. Bright Speeches Public Policy I. 290 Persons..who befriended the negro in his bondage.
2. spec. of a Samaritan (sense c): to (set out to) give the companionship and support of a friend to (a client), esp. in a lay capacity; also absol. and transferred in other areas of social work.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [verb (intransitive)] > give counselling or support voluntarily
befriend1962
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [verb (transitive)] > give counselling or support voluntarily
befriend1962
1962 [see befriending n. and adj. at Derivatives].
1965 C. Varah Samaritans 34 Continuation Classes are able to go much more deeply into the big question of how to befriend.
1978 M. Dickens Open Bk. xxi. 186 The Samaritans is a world-wide fellowship of men and women of all ages, creeds and races, dedicated to befriending people who are desperate enough to want to kill themselves.
1983 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 12 Nov. 1436/2 Samaritan volunteers are..supremely ordinary people... Our only aim is to befriend and support the suicidal or despairing people who contact us.
Derivatives
befriender n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > [noun] > action of befriending > one who befriends
befriender1856
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [noun] > voluntary counselling organization > member of
the Samaritans1960
befriender1965
1856 E. A. Bond Russia at Close of 16th Cent. 108 As the befriender of her subjects.
1965 C. Varah Samaritans 25 I could not have done what that befriender did.
1977 Gay News 24 Mar. 18/4 A marriage..cannot be re-routed by one evening's conversation with a befriender.
befriending n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > [adjective] > befriended > befriending
befriending1681
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > [noun] > action of befriending
cultivation1737
befriending1962
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [noun] > voluntary counselling organization > action of
befriending1962
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [adjective] > voluntary counselling organization > member of
befriending1965
1681 C. Cotton Poet. Wks. (1765) 321 At the very first befriending Knock.
1856 H. W. Longfellow Children Lord's Supper 226 Hope, the befriending, does what she can.
1962 Lancet 24 Nov. 1103/1 Some 60%..will go forward to the next stage of observation duty..under the charge of a senior Samaritan, answering the telephone, doing simple befriending perhaps, and car duties.
1965 C. Varah Samaritans 24 From that moment (early in 1954) the original concept of a non-medical (but still professional) counselling service was abandoned, and its place was taken by the concept of a befriending service by lay volunteers.
1977 New Yorker 8 Aug. 12/3 A befriending doctor tells Stroszek that he doesn't know how to look after himself.
1983 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 12 Nov. 1436/2 Helping our callers to seek necessary medical advice is..a regular part of Samaritan befriending.
befriendment n.
befrienˈdee n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > [noun] > action of befriending > one who is befriended
befriendee1978
society > society and the community > social attitudes > philanthropy > [noun] > voluntary counselling organization > one helped by
befriendee1978
1978 Intercom Mar. 2/3 Potential befrienders often go along to a club or day centre as part of their preparation and sometimes meet potential ‘befriendees’ there.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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