An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 57

_To_ BEJAN, _v. a._ When a new shearer comes to a harvest-field, he is initiated by being lifted by the arms and legs, and struck down on a stone on his b.u.t.tocks; Fife. This custom has probably had its origin in some of our universities. It is sometimes called _horsing_.

BEIK, _s._ A hive of bees.

V. ~Byke~.

_To_ BEIK, BEKE, BEEK, _v. a._

1. To bask, S.

_Barbour._

2. To warm, to communicate heat to.

_Ramsay._

3. It is often used in a neuter sense, S.

_Ywaine._

Belg. _baeker-en_ is used in the same sense; _baeker-en een kindt_, to warm a child. We say, To _beik_ in the sun; so, Belg. _baekeren in de sonne_. But our word is more immediately allied to the Scandinavian dialects; Su. G. _bak-a_, to warm.

BEIK, _adj._ Warm.

_Bannatyne Poems._

BEIK, _s._

1. This word primarily signifying the beak or bill of a fowl, is "sometimes used for a man's mouth, by way of contempt;" Rudd.

_Douglas._

2. It is used, as a cant word, for a person; "an auld _beik_," "a queer _beik_," &c. S.

Belg. _biek_, Fr. _bec_, rostrum. It may be observed that the latter is metaph. applied to a person.

V. ~Bejan~.

_To_ BEIL, BEAL, _v. n._

1. To suppurate, S.

_Maitland Poems._

2. To swell or rankle with pain, or remorse; metaph. applied to the mind, S. B.

_Ross._

_Wodrow._

Belg. _buyl-en_, protuberare? Ihre derives Su. G. _bold_, a boil, from Isl. _bolg-a_, intumescere.

BEILIN, _s._ A suppuration, S.

BEILD, BIELD, _s._

1. Shelter, refuge, protection, S.

_Gawan and Gol._

"Every man bows to the bush he gets _bield_ frae;" S. Prov. Every man pays court to him who gives him protection.

2. Support, stay, means of sustenance, S.

_Douglas._

3. A place of shelter; hence, applied to a house, a habitation; S.

_Morison._

A. Bor. _beild_, id.

~Beilding~ also occurs, where it seems doubtful whether buildings or shelter be meant.

_Gawan and Gol._

Isl. _baele_ denotes both a bed or couch, and a cave, a lurking place; cubile, spelunca. It is highly probable, that _baele_ is radically the same with Isl. _boele_, domicilium, habitatio; from _bo_, to build, to inhabit.

_To_ BEILD, _v. a._

1. To supply, to support.

_Wallace._

2. In one pa.s.sage it seems to signify, to take refuge; in a neuter sense.

_Gawan and Gol._

This verb, it would seem, has been formed from the noun, q. v., or has a common origin with Isl. _bael-a_, used to denote the act of causing cattle to lie down.