besluten

Besluten is a Dutch verb that appears primarily in historical texts and regional dialects. It carries the general meaning of deciding, resolving, or determining a course of action. In modern standard Dutch, the common verb is besluiten, and the noun for a decision remains besluit. As a result, besluten is typically described as archaic or nonstandard in contemporary usage.

Etymology and form

Besluten is formed with the be- prefix and a root related to sluiten, meaning to close. The semantic link reflects the sense of closing a matter by making a final decision. The modern standard form, besluiten, has become the predominant spelling in today’s Dutch.

Usage and context

Because besluten is largely antiquated, it is rarely used in contemporary writing except when quoting historical documents, studying older Dutch texts, or noting regional variations. Dutch dictionaries commonly classify besluten as historical or dialectal, with spreken over its precise inflections and conjugation varying by period and region.

Relation to related terms

Besluit (the noun) denotes a decision, and besluiten (the verb) is the modern equivalent of “to decide.” Besluiten is also used in official and organizational contexts to describe formal resolutions.

See also

Besluit, besluiten, beslissen.