beek

B3E1E1K5

verb

To expose to a source of heat for warmth and pleasure.

OriginMiddle English beken ← Old English *bēċan ← Proto-West Germanic *bōkijan →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

beek1

verbbeek (third-person singular simple present beeks, present participle beeking, simple past and past participle beeked)

present singular third person beeks · participle present beeking · participle past beeked · past beeked · alternative beak · alternative beke · alternative beyk · alternative Scotland beik

  1. Northern EnglandreflexivetransitiveTo expose to a source of heat for warmth and pleasure.
  2. Northern EnglandtransitiveTo season by exposure to heat, usually used of wood.
  3. Northern EnglandintransitiveTo enjoy exposure to warmth; bask.

beek2

nounbeek (plural beeks)

plural beeks

  1. abbreviationclippinginformalClipping of beekeeper.

Beek3

proper noun
  1. A municipality of Limburg, Netherlands.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
vanderbeek

Origin

beek · verb

  1. Proto-Germanic*bakaną“to bake”
  2. Proto-Germanic*bōkijaną“to warm”
  3. Proto-West Germanic*bōkijan“to warm”
  4. Old English*bēċan“to foment”
  5. Middle Englishbeken“to warm, expose to heat; keep oneself warm; season (wood) with heat”
  6. Englishbeek

From Middle English beken (“to warm, expose to heat; keep oneself warm; season (wood) with heat”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a northern variant of Middle English *bechen, from Old English *bēċan (“to foment”), from Proto-West Germanic *bōkijan (“to warm”), from Proto-Germanic *bōkijaną (“to warm”), causative of Proto-Germanic *bakaną (“to bake”). Cognate with Scots beke, beik (“to warm, bask”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

beek · noun

Clipping of beekeeper.

Full word history & related roots →

Beek · proper noun

  1. DutchBeek
  2. EnglishBeek

Borrowed from Dutch Beek.

More words from Dutch

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

beek. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beek

MLA

“beek.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beek. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “beek,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beek.

Source: beek on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.