befriend

  • 1Befriend — Be*friend , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Befriended}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Befriending}.] To act as a friend to; to favor; to aid, benefit, or countenance. [1913 Webster] By the darkness befriended. Longfellow. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2befriend — index favor, foster, promote (organize), side, sponsor, subsidize Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …

    Law dictionary

  • 3befriend — 1550s, from BE (Cf. be ) + FRIEND (Cf. friend) (q.v.). Related: Befriended; befriending …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4befriend — [v] make social acquaintance; support advise, aid, assist, back, benefit, buddy up*, case out*, come on to*, cotton to*, encourage, favor, get chummy with, get in with*, help, hit it off*, patronize, side with, stand by, sustain, take under one’s …

    New thesaurus

  • 5befriend — ► VERB ▪ become a friend to …

    English terms dictionary

  • 6befriend — [bē frend′, bifrend′] vt. to act as a friend to; help …

    English World dictionary

  • 7befriend — UK [bɪˈfrend] / US verb [transitive, usually passive] Word forms befriend : present tense I/you/we/they befriend he/she/it befriends present participle befriending past tense befriended past participle befriended to become the friend of someone… …

    English dictionary

  • 8befriend — /bi frend /, v.t. to make friends or become friendly with; act as a friend to; help; aid: to befriend the poor and the weak. [1550 60; BE + FRIEND] Syn. assist, comfort, succor; welcome. * * * …

    Universalium

  • 9befriend — [[t]bɪfre̱nd[/t]] befriends, befriending, befriended VERB If you befriend someone, especially someone who is lonely or far from home, you make friends with them. [V n] The film s about an elderly woman and a young nurse who befriends her... [V n] …

    English dictionary

  • 10befriend — verb a charming story in which the toys befriend one another Syn: make friends with, make a friend of; look after, keep an eye on; be of service to, lend a helping hand to, help, protect; side with, stand by, encourage …

    Thesaurus of popular words