besom

noun

1. a broom, especially one of brush or twigs.
2. broom(def 2).

noun

1. a broom, esp one made of a bundle of twigs tied to a handle
2. curling a broom or brush used to sweep the ice in front of the stone to make it slide farther

verb (tr)

3. to sweep with a besom

noun

1. Scot and Northern English dialect a derogatory term for a woman

n.

Old English besma “bundle of twigs” (used as a broom or a flail), from West Germanic *besmon (cf. Old Frisian besma, Old Saxon besmo, Old High German besmo, German Besen, Dutch bezem), of unknown origin. Perhaps “something bound or twisted,” from PIE *bheidh-.