bə̇ˈhed, bē- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English beheden, beheveden, from Old English behēafdian, from be- + hēafdian to behead, from hēafod head — more at head
1. : to sever the head or crown from : decapitate
behead a prisoner
behead a tree
2.
a. : to divert the headwaters of (a stream) into another drainage system by stream piracy — compare betrunk
b. : to remove the upper part of the drainage area of (a stream) by wave erosion