— beggarhood , n.
/beg"euhr/ , n.
1. a person who begs alms or lives by begging.
2. a penniless person.
3. a wretched fellow; rogue: the surly beggar who collects the rents.
4. a child or youngster (usually prec. by little ): a sudden urge to hug the little beggar.
v.t.
5. to reduce to utter poverty; impoverish: The family had been beggared by the war.
6. to cause one's resources of or ability for (description, comparison, etc.) to seem poor or inadequate: The costume beggars description.
[ 1175-1225; ME beggare, beggere. See BEG 1 , -ER 1 , -AR 3 ]