Christina Websell wrote:

"Bastette" wrote in message

I thought "bete" meant "stupid". Although I guess I can see where it
might mean both stupid and beast, even though I don't agree that beasts
are stupid.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/b%C3%AAte_noire
explains it perfectly.

Thank you. I just went to Google translate, and indeed, the word "bete"
translated to "beast". Then I went to another translator and entered
"dumb" in English. "Bete" was one of the translations. Whew, for a moment
I thought I had totally made up the translation.

I guess the word is mostly used to mean beast, but you could insult
someone by calling them "bete" (essentially calling them a "dumb beast"?).

--
Joyce

May the great galactic kitten always purr you to sleep.