Beleaguer means to surround with military forces or to trouble or beset with difficulties, originating from a Dutch word meaning 'to camp around.'
Beleaguer means to surround with troops or to beset with difficulties. The word originates from Dutch and signifies being put under siege or troubled by problems.
| Back | beleaguer /bi-LEE-guhr/ |
|---|---|
| Front | verb tr. 1. To surround with troops. 2. To beset with difficulties. [From Dutch belegeren (to camp around), from be- (around) + leger (camp). Ultimately from the Indo-European root legh- (to lie or lay), which also gave us lie, lay, lair, fellow, and laager. Earliest documented use: 1589.] “Underlying tensions and unresolved issues continue to beleaguer the Blue Line area.” - In Lebanon, UN Official Urges ‘Calm, Restraint’ Along Blue Line; Asia News Monitor (Bangkok, Thailand); Feb 19, 2015. |
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