bequemen

Bequemen is a Dutch verb that today is largely found in historical or literary contexts. It means to deign to do something, to deem it proper or fitting to undertake an action, or to take the trouble to perform it. The sense is often realized with a reflexive form, zich bequemen, and with a following infinitive clause, typically introduced by om or te. In older prose the phrase can express a formal willingness or a sense of condescending courtesy.

Usage and register are key: bequemen occurs mainly in texts from earlier centuries, such as religious sermons, diplomatic writings, or classical literature. In modern Dutch it is considered archaic or stylistic, and is not common in everyday language or contemporary journalism. When it appears, it usually aims for a formal or ironic tone, or in translations that seek to reproduce an antique flavor.

Etymology and status: the exact origins of bequemen are not entirely clear. It is a prefixed be- verb attached to an older root related to fitting or propriety, with parallels in other Germanic languages, though precise derivation remains a topic for linguistic study. Because of its antiquated character, bequemen is often glossed in dictionaries as deign or as a verb used in a demeaningly formal sense.

See also: deign (English), Dutch archaic verbs, be- prefix verbs.