bever

Etymology 1

From Middle English biveren, beveren (“to tremble”), frequentative form of Old English beofian, bifian (“to tremble, be moved, shake, quake”), from Proto-Germanic *bibāną (“to quake, shiver”). Cognate with West Frisian bibberje (“to shiver”), Dutch bibberen (“to shiver, quiver”), Low German beveren (“to shiver”), German Low German bevern (“to tremble”), German bibbern (“to shiver”). related also to Dutch beven (“to quake”), German beben (“to quake, tremble”), Swedish bäva (“to quake, tremble”), Icelandic bifa (“to budge, be moved”), Latin foedus (“disgusting, shocking, abominable, heinous”).

verb

1. (intransitive) To tremble; shake; quiver; shiver.
   Wherefore King Ban and King Bors made them ready, and dressed their shields and harness, and they were so courageous that many knights shook and bevered for eagerness. 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D'Arthur, page 25

Etymology 2

noun

1. Alternative spelling of bevor
   And, passing forward with furious affret, / Pierst through his bever and quite into his brow. 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene
   He who lookes you in the face, ſaith he ſees you, though the reſt of your bodie be within your cloathes, and if you, being an ὁωλομάχος a cataphract in your proteſtantiſh πανοπλία [panoplía, suit of armour] should for fear pull downe your beuer before you come into the liſt, your Aduerſarie for all that might light vpon your (  ) vnleſſe you bring with you Giges his ring, ſo to make your ſelf inuiſible; … 1635, L. I. [pseudonym; John Lechmere], “The Third Argument was about the Killing Letter; out of Origen,[…]”, in The Relection of a Conference Tovching the Reall Presence. Or A Bachelovrs Censvre of a Masters Apologie for Doctour Featlie, Douai: Lavrence Kellam, →OCLC, page 333
   Some close helmets have a farther improvement called a bever, the bever when closed covers the mouth and chin, and either lifts up by revolving on the same pivots as the visor, or lets down by means of two or more pivots on each side near the jaws, in which case the bever consists of several laminæ or plates, one shutting over the other. 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 8

Etymology 3

From Middle English bever, from Anglo-Norman bever (modern French boire), from Latin bibō.

noun

1. A drink.
2. (now rare, archaic) A snack or light refreshment between meals.
   Thirty meals a day and ten bevers. 1604, Christopher Marlowe, Dr. Faustus
   Very softly I boiled water, made a sandwich from the remains of the luncheon roast chicken, scalded the Twining creature. Then I softly carried my bever to the study on a tray[…]. 1980, Anthony Burgess, Earthly Powers
3. A time for drinking.
4. A mixture of cider and water.

verb

1. (obsolete) To take a light repast between meals.

Etymology 4

noun

1. Obsolete form of beaver.