Benbow, an idle, generous, free-and-easy sot, who spent a good inheritance in dissipation, and ended life in the work-house.
By jovial sets, and (as he thought) beloved,
Was judged as one to joy and friendship prone,
And deemed injurious to himself alone.
—Borough. xvi (1810).
Bendemeer, a river that flows near the ruins of Chilminar or Istachar, in the province of Chusistan in Persia.
Bend-the-Bow, an English archer at Dickson’s cottage.—Sir W. Scott: Castle Dangerous (time, Henry I.).
Benedick, a wild, witty, and light-hearted young lord of Padua, who vowed celibacy, but fell in love with Beatrice and married her. It fell out thus: He went on a visit to Leonato governor of Messina; here he saw Beatrice, the himself, but he disliked her, thought her pert, forward, and somewhat ill-mannered withal. However, he heard Claudio speaking to Leonato about Beatrice, saying how deeply she loved Benedick, and bewailing that so nice a girl should break her heart with unrequited love. This conversation was a mere ruse, but Benedick believed it to be true, and resolved to reward the love of Beatrice with love and marriage. It so happened that Beatrice had been entrapped by a similar conversation which she had over-heard from her cousin Hero. The end was they sincerely loved each other, and became man and wife.—Shakespeare: Much Ado about Nothing (1600).
A married man is called a Benedick.