/ bɪˈset; NAmE / verb
( be·set·ting , beset , beset ) [ vn ] [ usually passive ] ( formal ) to affect sb/sth in an unpleasant or harmful way :
The team was beset by injury all season.
It's one of the most difficult problems besetting our modern way of life.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English besettan , from be- about + settan of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zetten , German setzen .