beast
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Beast \Beast\ (b[=e]st), n. [OE. best, beste, OF. beste, F.
b[^e]te, fr. L. bestia.]
1. Any living creature; an animal; -- including man, insects,
etc. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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2. Any four-footed animal, that may be used for labor, food,
or sport; as, a beast of burden.
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A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.
--Prov. xii.
10.
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3. any animal other than a human; -- opposed to {man}.
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'Tain't a fit night out for man nor beast.
--W. C.
Fields.
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4. Fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow.
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5. A game at cards similar to loo. [Obs.] --Wright.
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6. A penalty at beast, omber, etc. Hence: To be beasted, to
be beaten at beast, omber, etc.
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{Beast royal}, the lion. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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Syn: {Beast}, {Brute}.
Usage: When we use these words in a figurative sense, as
applicable to human beings, we think of beasts as mere
animals governed by animal appetite; and of brutes as
being destitute of reason or moral feeling, and
governed by unrestrained passion. Hence we speak of
beastly appetites; beastly indulgences, etc.; and of
brutal manners; brutal inhumanity; brutal ferocity.
So, also, we say of a drunkard, that he first made
himself a beast, and then treated his family like a
brute.
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Beast
This word is used of flocks or herds of grazing animals (Ex.
22:5; Num. 20:4, 8, 11; Ps. 78:48); of beasts of burden (Gen.
45:17); of eatable beasts (Prov. 9:2); and of swift beasts or
dromedaries (Isa. 60:6). In the New Testament it is used of a
domestic animal as property (Rev. 18:13); as used for food (1
Cor. 15:39), for service (Luke 10:34; Acts 23:24), and for
sacrifice (Acts 7:42).
When used in contradistinction to man (Ps. 36:6), it denotes a
brute creature generally, and when in contradistinction to
creeping things (Lev. 11:2-7; 27:26), a four-footed animal.
The Mosaic law required that beasts of labour should have rest
on the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10; 23:12), and in the Sabbatical year
all cattle were allowed to roam about freely, and eat whatever
grew in the fields (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:7). No animal could be
castrated (Lev. 22:24). Animals of different kinds were to be
always kept separate (Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:10). Oxen when used
in threshing were not to be prevented from eating what was
within their reach (Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor.9:9).
This word is used figuratively of an infuriated multitude (1
Cor. 15:32; Acts 19:29; comp. Ps. 22:12, 16; Eccl. 3:18; Isa.
11:6-8), and of wicked men (2 Pet. 2:12). The four beasts of
Daniel 7:3, 17, 23 represent four kingdoms or kings.
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
90 Moby Thesaurus words for "beast":
Mafioso, Young Turk, animal, anthropophagite, barbarian, being,
beldam, berserk, berserker, bomber, brute, cannibal, creature,
creeping thing, critter, cur, demon, destroyer, devil, dog, dragon,
dumb animal, dumb friend, fiend, fire-eater, firebrand, fury, goon,
gorilla, gunsel, hardnose, hell-raiser, hellcat, hellhound,
hellion, holy terror, hood, hoodlum, hothead, hotspur, hound,
hyena, incendiary, insect, killer, living being, living thing,
mad dog, madcap, man-eater, mongrel, monster, mugger, nihilist,
pig, polecat, quadruped, rapist, reptile, revolutionary, savage,
serpent, shark, she-wolf, skunk, snake, spitfire, swine, termagant,
terror, terrorist, tiger, tigress, tough, tough guy, ugly customer,
vandal, varmint, vermin, violent, viper, virago, vixen, whelp,
wild beast, wild man, witch, wolf, worm, wrecker
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