beasts

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of beast.

   The travelers loaded their beasts with grain for the long crossing.

   Strange beasts lurked in the depths of the ancient woods.

   Note

   A regular plural, made with -s and taking plural agreement: these beasts are, many beasts were. It carries every meaning of the singular, from cattle and pack animals to monsters and violent, uncivilized people, so context decides which is meant. The singular can already stand for animals as a group, and the same spelling also serves as the present-tense verb, as in a coach who beasts his squad.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of beast.

   The drill sergeant beasts every recruit through the obstacle course at dawn.

   She beasts the final climb of the race while her rivals fall behind.

   Note

   The -s form for he, she or it: the sergeant beasts the recruits, but I and they beast them. Its usual meaning is the British one of putting someone through punishing exercise, either as training or as punishment. Use it with care. In Scottish slang the same verb is a crude word for having sex with someone, especially in an illicit context, so a careless sentence can read very differently north of the border.

Showing meanings only. Show all 2