beloved

belove +‎ -ed.

Predicative adjective and past participle

• (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada) enPR: bĭ-lŭvd, IPA^(key): /bɪˈlʌvd/

• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ʌvd
• Hyphenation: be‧loved

Attributive adjective and noun

• (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada) enPR: bĭ-lŭv′ĭd, IPA^(key): /bɪˈlʌvɪd/
• Rhymes: -ʌvɪd
• Hyphenation: be‧lov‧ed

beloved (comparative more beloved, superlative most beloved)

1. Much loved, dearly loved.
   • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: Printed for Nath[aniel] Ponder […], OCLC 228725984; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress (The Noel Douglas Replicas), London: Noel Douglas, […], 1928, OCLC 5190338, pages 187–188:

     But I found at laſt, by hearing and conſidering of things that are Divine, which indeed I heard of you, as alſo of beloved Faithful, that was put to death for his Faith and good-living in Vanity-fair, That the end of these things is death. [Rom[ans] 6. 21, 22, 23.] And that for theſe things ſake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of diſobedience. [Eph[esians] 5. 6.]

   • 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “[The Fables of Æsop, &c.] Fab[le] CLXXXV. Jupiters Wedding.”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: Printed for R[ichard] Sare, […], OCLC 228727523, page 155:

     When the Toy had once taken Jupiter in the Head to Enter into a State of Matrimony, he Reſolv'd for the Honour of his Celeſtial Lady, that the whole World ſhould keep a Feſtiual upon the Day of his Marriage, and ſo Invited all Living Creatures, Tag-Rag and Bob-Tail, to the Solemnity to his Wedding. They all came in very Good Time, ſaving the Tortoiſe. Jupiter […] Ask'd him, Why ſo Late? Why truly ſays the Tortoiſe, I was at Home, at my Own Houſe, my Dearly Beloved Houſe, and [Home is Home, let it be never ſo Homely.]

   • 1719 April 25, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: Printed by W[illiam] Taylor […], OCLC 15864594; 3rd edition, London: Printed by W[illiam] Taylor […], 1719, OCLC 838630407, pages 164–165:

     It is ſcarce poſſible to imagine the Conſternation I was now in, being driven from my beloved Iſland (for ſo it appeared to me now to be) into the wide Ocean, almoſt two Leagues, and in the utmoſt Deſpair of ever recovering it again.

   • 1765, Thomas Percy, compiler, “The Bailiff’s Daughter of Islington”, in Reliques of Ancient English Poetry: […], volume III, London: Printed for J[ames] Dodsley […], OCLC 519493226, lines 1–4, page 133:

     There was a youthe, and a well-beloved youthe, / And he was a ſquires ſon: / He loved the bayliffes daughter deare, / That lived in Iſlington.

   • 2014, Niall MacLeòid, “The Death of the Widow's Child”, in Meg Bateman and Anne Loughran, editors, Bàird Ghleann Dail = The Glendale Bards: A Selection of Songs and Poems by Niall MacLeòid (1843–1913), ‘The Bard of Skye’, His Brother Ian Dubh (1847–1901) and Their Father Dòmhnall nan Òran (c. 1787–1873), Edinburgh: John Donald, →ISBN, verse 4:

     In yonder corner your little chair, / where you often sat at my knee, / singing your sweet murmuring hymns, / my belovèd child!

beloved (plural beloveds)

1. Someone who is loved; something that is loved.
   • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream wherein is Discovered, the Manner of His Setting out, His Dangerous Journey; and Safe Arrival at the Desired Countrey, London: Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey near Cornhil, OCLC 228725984, page 219:

     […] Chriſtian, with deſire fell ſick, Hopeful alſo had a fit or two of the ſame Diſeaſe: Wherefore, here they lay by it a while, crying out, becauſe of their pangs, If ye ſee my Beloved, tell him that I am ſick of love.

   • 1854, John Gill, An Exposition of the Book of Solomon's Song; Commonly Called Canticles. Wherein the Authority of it is Established and Vindicated against Objections, Both Ancient and Modern; Several Versions Compared with the Original Text; the Different Senses both of Jewish and Christian Interpreters Considered; and the Whole Opened and Explained in Proper and Useful Observations, London: William Hill Collingridge, Long Lane, Aldersgate Street, OCLC 181935324, page 206, column 2:

     Near and dear relations are the only beloveds of others, as parents, children, &c. They set their affections so much on these, that Christ has little or no share in them: […] Christ is preferable to all such beloveds, and indeed to any creature-enjoyment whatever.

   • 1988, Harriet Ronken Lynton; Mohini Rajan, “The City”, in The Days of the Beloved, 2nd edition, New Delhi: Orient Longman, →ISBN, page 7:

     Beyond the smiths were the bookshops, supplying for the intellect the enchantment that the smith supplied for the eye. The standard assortment was there, but the most desired were books of philosophy and poetry to help the soul either weep or sing, and songs for the heart to sing of the beloved.

beloved

1. (obsolete) simple past tense and past participle of belove.
   • 1547, The Order of the Communion. With the Kings Majesties Proclamation, London: Imprinted [...] by Richard Grafton, OCLC 613901137, page 4:

     Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye coming to his holy Communion, must consider what St. Paul writeth to the Corinthians, how he exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves, or ever they presume to eat of this bread, and drink of this Cup: […]

   • 1747, Thomas Birch, “William Lord Russel”, in The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraven by Mr. [Jacobus] Houbraken, and Mr. [George] Vertue. With Their Lives and Characters, volume I, London: Printed for John and Paul Knapton, OCLC 929085839, page 124:

     He [William Russell, Lord Russell] was a man of great candour and of a general reputation, univerſally beloved and truſted; of a generous and obliging temper.

   • 1760, Delahay Gordon, “The Life and Death of Mary Queen of Scots”, in A General History of the Lives, Trials, and Executions of All the Royal and Noble Personages, that have Suffered in Great-Britain and Ireland for High Treason, or Other Crimes, from the Accession of Henry VIII. to the Throne of England, down to the Present Time; [...], volume II, London: Printed for J. Burd, opposite St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet-Street, OCLC 13192347, page 108:

     [B]eing a plain and honeſt-minded man, […] he [Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox] loſt the favour of the French king in a ſhort time; and, when he could neither continue at home, nor return into France, he came into England, and ſubmitted himſelf to Henry VIII, who accepted him as a man well-beloved in the weſt borders, and acknowledged him as next heir to the crown of Scotland, after Mary then an infant, […]

   • 1800, Schultz; [Benjamin Beresford, translator], “The Wooer”, in A Collection of German Ballads and Songs with Their Original Music, Done into English, 2nd edition, Berlin: [Printed by G. F. Starke and] sold by H. Frölich, and by Messieurs Baumgärtners, Leipsic, OCLC 43407965, stanza I, page 29:

     With auburn locks and killing eyes, / A laſs tripp'd o'er the mead. / The day declin'd; soft blush'd the skies, / And warblings fill'd the glade. / I nought but her could hear and see.— / Belov'd, I swear, the maid shall be, / Forever and for aye by me!

• belovèd (poetry)
• belov'd