Where does behelm come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

behelm

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Scrabble Score

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verb

To cover; cover over.

Transitive verb

verb

To cover as with a helm or helmet.

Transitive verb

"And hundred-folded Briareus, and Lerna's Worm of dread Fell hissing; and Chimaera's length and fire-behelmed head, [...]"
"He went to the Thing in gold-reddened helm, and all his company was behelmed."
"Stepped forth a virgin, with behelmed head Like to a martial goddess, fair at once And dreadful to behold; [...]"
"Now come the days for fighting to the finish, bemail thy body and behelm thy head; Rally all those that desert thee, and put away forests and dice."

From Middle English *behelmen, from Old English behelmian (“to cover over”), equivalent to be- + helm. Related to Old English helan (“to cover”). More at hele.

behelms (present, singular) behelming (participle, present) behelmed (participle, past) behelmed (past)

at the helm uphelm unwhelm