What does beshrew mean?
Beshrew is an archaic English verb meaning to curse or wish evil upon someone or something. Formed from the prefix be- attached to the old sense of shrew as a wicked person or devil, it entered common use in the sixteenth century and became a favorite mild expletive of Elizabethan drama, appearing frequently in Shakespeare's plays in phrases such as "Beshrew me" (roughly, "curse me if...") and "Beshrew the day." Although it sounds fierce, it was historically a comparatively gentle oath — an expression of exasperation rather than a solemn malediction. Today the word survives almost entirely in quotations from early modern literature, though writers occasionally revive it deliberately for comic or period effect, lending speech a mock-archaic, theatrical air. Its closest living relatives are shrew and the adjective shrewish.
verbTo curse or call down evil upon someone or something. An archaic imprecation, now used almost exclusively for humorous or literary effect.
- (archaic) To curse; to invoke evil upon, typically as a mild expletive of annoyance rather than a serious malediction.
"Beshrew the day I ever agreed to lend him my car!"
"Beshrew me if that isn't the finest pie I've tasted all year!"
"She muttered, half laughing, 'Beshrew these tangled fairy lights,' and started over."
Shakespeare cursed with it constantly — "Beshrew me" appears across his plays — making this one of the most quotable forgotten swear words in English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of beshrew
Beshrew was formed in Middle-to-early Modern English from the prefix be-, used to form verbs, combined with the older noun shrew, which originally meant an evil person or devil before narrowing to mean a scolding woman. It arose as an imprecative formula — literally wishing the cursed party into the hands of the shrew-devil — and was well established by the sixteenth century. Its etymological kin include shrew itself, the derivative shrewish, and shrewd, which once carried a similarly negative sense before softening to mean keen-witted.
How beshrew is actually used
Archaic and obsolete in everyday speech; encountered mainly in Shakespeare and other early modern literature, or revived playfully by writers seeking an old-fashioned, mock-dramatic flavor. Historically a relatively mild oath — closer to a theatrical 'darn' than a genuine malediction.
Easily confused with beshrew
A shrew is either a small mouse-like mammal or a bad-tempered woman, while beshrew is a verb meaning to curse.
Shrewd means having sharp practical judgment, whereas beshrew is an archaic verb meaning to curse.