Beast

bēst, n. an irrational animal, as opposed to man: a four-footed animal: a brutal person: the Beast, Antichrist in the Revelation—dim. Beast′ies .— n.pl. Beast′-fā′bles , stories in which animals play human parts—a widely-spread primitive form of literature, often surviving in more or le developed forms in the more advanced civilisations.— ns. Beast′hood ; Beast′lihead ( Spens. ), the state or nature of a beast, beastline ; Beast′line .— adj. Beast′ly , like a beast in actions or behaviour: coarse: obscene: ( colloq. ) vile, disagreeable. [O. Fr. beste (Fr. bête )—L. bestia .]