When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage.
Shak.
3. To cause the time of to pass without notice; to relieve the tedium or weariness of; to while away; to divert.
Ballads . . . to beguile his incessant wayfaring.
W. Irving.
Syn. -- To delude; deceive; cheat; insnare; mislead; amuse; divert; entertain.
Be*guile"ment (&?;), n. The act of beguiling, or the state of being beguiled.
Be*guil"er (&?;), n. One who, or that which, beguiles.
Be*guil"ing, a. Alluring by guile; deluding; misleading; diverting. -- Be*guil"ing*ly, adv.
||Be`guin" (&?;), n. [F.] See Beghard.
||Be`gui`nage" (&?;), n. [F.] A collection of small houses surrounded by a wall and occupied by a community of Beguines.
||Be`guine" (&?;), n. [F. béguine; LL. beguina, beghina; fr. Lambert le Bègue (the Stammerer) the founder of the order. (Du Cange.)] A woman belonging to one of the religious and charitable associations or communities in the Netherlands, and elsewhere, whose members live in beguinages and are not bound by perpetual vows.
||Be"gum (&?;), n. [Per., fr. Turk., perh. properly queen mother, fr. Turk. beg (see Beg, n.) + Ar. umm mother.] In the East Indies, a princess or lady of high rank. Malcom.
Be*gun" (&?;), p. p. of Begin.
Be*half" (&?;), n. [OE. on-behalve in the name of, bihalven by the side of, fr. AS. healf half, also side, part: akin to G. halb half, halber on account of. See Be-, and Half, n.] Advantage; favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support; defense; vindication.
In behalf of his mistress's beauty.
Sir P. Sidney.
Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf of his nation.
Clarendon.
In behalf of, in the interest of. -- On behalf of, on account of; on the part of.