betine

Meaning

Verb

• To hedge about; enclose; shut up.
• To set fire to.

Origin

• From Middle English betinen, betynen, bitunen, bituinen, from Old English betȳnan ("to hedge in, enclose, shut, bury; shut out; conclude, end"), from Proto-Germanic *bitūnijaną ("to inclose, hedge about"), equivalent to be- + tine. Cognate with Middle Dutch betuinen, Middle High German beziunen.
• From be- + tine, variation of tind. More at tind.