Carl in Newport Beach, California, wonders why the prefix be- functions so differently in the words behead and befriend. Also, why do the words decapitated and beheaded have different prefixes? And what the be-doing there in bemoan and belabor? Like...
blessing-way n.— « My midwife does a blessing-way in which she rubs sacred blue cornmeal on my feet as a sign of supplication to the mother-to-be. » —“Re: Natural Childbirth was GREAT!!!” by Colette Usenet: misc.kids...