beast

Definitions

1. 1.Any four-footed animal, that may be used for labor, food, or sport; as, a beast of burden. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. Prov. xii.
2. 2.3. As opposed to man: Any irrational animal.
3. 3.Fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow.
4. 4.A game at cards similar to loo. [Obs.] Wright.
5. 5.A penalty at beast, omber, etc. Hence: To be beasted, to be beaten at beast, omber, etc. Beast royal, the lion. [Obs.] Chaucer. When we use these words in a figurative sense, as applicable to human beings, we think of beasts as mere animals governed by animal appetite; and of brutes as being destitute of reason or moral feeling, and governed by unrestrained passion. Hence we speak of beastly appetites; beastly indulgences, etc.; and of brutal manners; brutal inhumanity; brutal ferocity. So, also, we say of a drunkard, that he first made himself a beast, and then treated his family like a brute.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "beast" mean?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is beast.

• What is any four-footed animal, that may be used for labor, food, or sport; as, a beast of burden. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. Prov. xii called?
• What is 3. As opposed to man: Any irrational animal called?
• What is fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow called?
• What is a game at cards similar to loo. [Obs.] Wright called?