beget
verb /bɪˈɡet/
/bɪˈɡet/
In sense 1 begat /bɪˈɡæt/
/bɪˈɡæt/
is used for the past tense, and begotten /bɪˈɡɒtn/
/bɪˈɡɑːtn/
is used for the past participle.Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they beget | /bɪˈɡet/ /bɪˈɡet/ |
| he / she / it begets | /bɪˈɡets/ /bɪˈɡets/ |
| past simple begot | /bɪˈɡɒt/ /bɪˈɡɑːt/ |
| past participle begot | /bɪˈɡɒt/ /bɪˈɡɑːt/ |
| -ing form begetting | /bɪˈɡetɪŋ/ /bɪˈɡetɪŋ/ |
- (old use, for example in the Bible) beget somebody to become the father of a child
- Isaac begat Jacob.
- beget something (formal or old-fashioned) to make something happen
- Violence begets violence.
Word OriginOld English begietan ‘get, obtain by effort’ (see be-, get).