betimes

B3E1T1I1M3E1S1
UK, US/bɪˈtaɪmz/UK, US/bəˈtaɪmz/

adverb

In good season or time; early, especially in the morning; seasonably.

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RareScrabble 11

Meanings

adverbbetimes (not comparable)
  1. datednot comparableIn good season or time; early, especially in the morning; seasonably.

    Smart lad to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay.

    1896, A. E. Housman, “To An Athlete Dying Young,”, in A Shropshire Lad
    5 more examples

    Behold, as wilde asses in the desart, goe they foorth to their worke, rising betimes for a pray: the wildernes yeeldeth food for them, and for their children.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 24:5

    They slept well that night and betimes next morning the mother of Alaeddin arose and went with her bowl to the King's court which she found closed.

    1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC

    “I’ll answer for it, that he hath faced both the Catalan and the Moor, in his time, young as he may seem. Thou knowest that the nobles are wont to carry their sons, as children, early into the fight, that they may learn the deeds of chivalry betimes.”

    1840, [James Fenimore Cooper], chapter I, in Mercedes of Castile: Or, The Voyage to Cathay. […], volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: Lea and Blanchard, →OCLC, page 20

    I was up betimes in the morning, but Holmes was afoot earlier still, for I saw him as I dressed, coming up the drive.

    1902, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 13, in The Hound of the Baskervilles

    However they dined very early, for the winter dusk fell betimes at this season [...].

    1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 786
  2. archaicnot comparableIn a short time, soon; quickly, forthwith.

    Reproving betimes with sharpness...and afterward showing forth an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved[…]

    1839, Doctrine and Covenants, 121:43
    1 more example

    [O]ne prayed God right heartily aloud that He would send them betimes a knight that durst convoy them through this strait pass.

    1898, The High History of the Holy Graal, translated by Sebastian Evans, Branch IX, Title II

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbin good time

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishbetymes
  2. Englishbetimes

From Middle English betymes, from bi (“by”) + time + adverbial -s. By surface analysis, betime + -s (adverbial suffix). Compare also betides.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian навреме, своевременно
  • навреме (navreme)in good season or time
  • своевременно (svoevremenno)in good season or time
Estonian vara
  • varain good season or time
Finnish aikaisin, pian
  • aikaisinin good season or time
  • pianin good season or time
German beizeiten
  • beizeitenin good season or time
Polish zawczasu
  • zawczasuin good season or time
Scottish Gaelic moch
  • mochin good season or time
Spanish al alba
  • al albain good season or time
Swedish tidigt
  • tidigtin good season or time
Turkish erken, erkenden
  • erkenin good season or time
  • erkendenin good season or time
  • vaktindein good season or time
  • zamanındain good season or time

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with betimes

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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