/ bɪˈhəʊld; NAmE bɪˈhoʊld/ verb
( be·held / bɪˈheld; NAmE /, be·held ) [ vn ] ( old use or literary ) to look at or see sb/sth :
Her face was a joy to behold.
They beheld a bright star shining in the sky.
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IDIOMS
see lo
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English bihaldan , from bi- thoroughly + haldan to hold . Parallel Germanic words have the sense maintain, retain ; the notion of looking is found only in English .