English edit

Pronunciation edit

Etymology 1 edit

From be- +‎ will.

Verb edit

bewill (third-person singular simple present bewills, present participle bewilling, simple past and past participle bewilled)

  1. (transitive) To will (to); bequeath by a will or testament.
    • 1800, Charles Viner, A general abridgment of law and equity:
      The other testamentary writing was on stamped paper, and was as follows: "This is my last will and testament, at my death for "my husband to bewill to him the sum of 300/., which is now "in the joint stock annuities, for his own use [...]"
Derived terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

From be- +‎ will (wandering, stray, lost in error). Cognate with Scots bewild (to bewill).

Verb edit

bewill (third-person singular simple present bewills, present participle bewilling, simple past and past participle bewilled)

  1. (UK dialectal, Scotland) To cause to go astray.