Beast \Beast\ (b[=e]st), n. [OE. best, beste, OF. beste, F.
   b[^e]te, fr. L. bestia.]
   1. Any living creature; an animal; -- including man, insects,
      etc. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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   2. Any four-footed animal, that may be used for labor, food,
      or sport; as, a beast of burden.
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            A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.
                                                  --Prov. xii.
                                                  10.
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   3. any animal other than a human; -- opposed to man.
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            'Tain't a fit night out for man nor beast.
                                                  --W. C.
                                                  Fields.
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   4. Fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow.
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   5. A game at cards similar to loo. [Obs.] --Wright.
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   6. A penalty at beast, omber, etc. Hence: To be beasted, to
      be beaten at beast, omber, etc.
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   Beast royal, the lion. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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   Syn: Beast, Brute.

   Usage: When we use these words in a figurative sense, as
          applicable to human beings, we think of beasts as mere
          animals governed by animal appetite; and of brutes as
          being destitute of reason or moral feeling, and
          governed by unrestrained passion. Hence we speak of
          beastly appetites; beastly indulgences, etc.; and of
          brutal manners; brutal inhumanity; brutal ferocity.
          So, also, we say of a drunkard, that he first made
          himself a beast, and then treated his family like a
          brute.
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	beast
    n 1: a living organism characterized by voluntary movement [syn:
         animal, animate being, beast, brute, creature,
         fauna]
    2: a cruelly rapacious person [syn: beast, wolf, savage,
       brute, wildcat]

	

	90 Moby Thesaurus words for "beast":
   Mafioso, Young Turk, animal, anthropophagite, barbarian, being,
   beldam, berserk, berserker, bomber, brute, cannibal, creature,
   creeping thing, critter, cur, demon, destroyer, devil, dog, dragon,
   dumb animal, dumb friend, fiend, fire-eater, firebrand, fury, goon,
   gorilla, gunsel, hardnose, hell-raiser, hellcat, hellhound,
   hellion, holy terror, hood, hoodlum, hothead, hotspur, hound,
   hyena, incendiary, insect, killer, living being, living thing,
   mad dog, madcap, man-eater, mongrel, monster, mugger, nihilist,
   pig, polecat, quadruped, rapist, reptile, revolutionary, savage,
   serpent, shark, she-wolf, skunk, snake, spitfire, swine, termagant,
   terror, terrorist, tiger, tigress, tough, tough guy, ugly customer,
   vandal, varmint, vermin, violent, viper, virago, vixen, whelp,
   wild beast, wild man, witch, wolf, worm, wrecker

	

	Beast
   This word is used of flocks or herds of grazing animals (Ex.
   22:5; Num. 20:4, 8, 11; Ps. 78:48); of beasts of burden (Gen.
   45:17); of eatable beasts (Prov. 9:2); and of swift beasts or
   dromedaries (Isa. 60:6). In the New Testament it is used of a
   domestic animal as property (Rev. 18:13); as used for food (1
   Cor. 15:39), for service (Luke 10:34; Acts 23:24), and for
   sacrifice (Acts 7:42).
   
     When used in contradistinction to man (Ps. 36:6), it denotes a
   brute creature generally, and when in contradistinction to
   creeping things (Lev. 11:2-7; 27:26), a four-footed animal.
   
     The Mosaic law required that beasts of labour should have rest
   on the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10; 23:12), and in the Sabbatical year
   all cattle were allowed to roam about freely, and eat whatever
   grew in the fields (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:7). No animal could be
   castrated (Lev. 22:24). Animals of different kinds were to be
   always kept separate (Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:10). Oxen when used
   in threshing were not to be prevented from eating what was
   within their reach (Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor.9:9).
   
     This word is used figuratively of an infuriated multitude (1
   Cor. 15:32; Acts 19:29; comp. Ps. 22:12, 16; Eccl. 3:18; Isa.
   11:6-8), and of wicked men (2 Pet. 2:12). The four beasts of
   Daniel 7:3, 17, 23 represent four kingdoms or kings.