bestead

US: (bi sted′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

be•stead¹  (bi sted′), v.t., -stead•ed, -stead•ed or -stead, -stead•ing. 

1. to help;
   assist;
   serve;
   avail.

• be- + stead 1575–85

be•stead²  (bi sted′), adj. 

1. [Archaic.] placed or situated, often unfavorably or in difficulty.

• Old Norse staddr, past participle of stethja to place, derivative of stathr place
• Middle English bisted, bistad, equivalent. to bi be- + sted, variant of stad placed 1300–50