# bestand

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To stand by or near; stand around.
2. To beset; stand around in hostility; harass.
3. To surround; encompass.
4. To serve; be of service to; be ready to serve or aid.

## Etymology
From Middle English bistanden, bestanden, from Old English bestandan, from Proto-West Germanic *bistandan, from Proto-Germanic *bistandaną (“to surround, support”). Equivalent to be- (“around, by”) + stand.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bestand