Focal an Lae #344
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: béim (BAYM) [b′eːm′]
Meaning: béim = blow, stroke, emphasis
Usage:
- Chuir sí béim ar an bhfocal sin. (KHWIHR shee BAYM ehr uh WO-kuhl shin) [xir′ s′iː b′eːm′ er′ ə vokəl s′in′]
= She emphasized that word. (lit., she put emphasis on that word)
- béim thua (BAYM HOO-uh) [b′eːm′ huːə] = an axe blow
- Bhain mé béim as. (WAHN may BAYM ahs) [van′ m′eː b′eːm′ as] = I took him down a notch. (lit., took I stroke out-of-him)
History: Old Irish “béimm”, the verbal noun of “benaid” (strikes), comes from Indo-European *bhei-smn, from the root *bhei- (to strike).
Cognates in English include “bill” (bird’s beak) and “bill” (weapon or pruning hook). See
Focal #244 for “bain” (to strike, etc.).
Scottish Gaelic: beum