An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 66

Goth.

BERSIS, _s._ "A species of cannon formerly much used at sea. It resembled the faucon, but was shorter, and of a larger calibre," Gl.

Compl.

_Complaynt S._

Fr. _barce_, _berche_, "the piece of ordnance called a base;" Cotgr.

pl. _barces_, _berches_.

BERTH, _s._ Apparently, rage.

_Wyntown._

Isl. and Sw. _braede_, id.

BERTHINSEK, BIRDINSEK, BURDINSECK. _The law of Berthinsek_, a law, according to which no man was to be punished capitally for stealing a calf, sheep, or so much meat as he could carry on his back in a sack.

_Skene._

A. S. _ge-burthyn in saeca_, a burden in a sack; or from _ge-beor-a_, portare.

BERTYNIT, BERTNYT, _pret._ and _part. pa._ Struck, battered.

_Wallace._

This is evidently the same with ~Brittyn~, q. v.

BESAND, BEISAND, _s._ An ancient piece of cold coin, offered by the French kings at the ma.s.s of their consecration at Rheims, and called a _Bysantine_, as the coin of this description was first struck at _Byzantium_ or Constantinople. It is said to have been worth, in French money, fifty pounds _Tournois_.

_Kennedy._

_To_ BESEIK, _v. a._ To beseech, to entreat.

_Douglas._

A. S. _be_ and _sec-an_, to seek; Belg. _ver-soek-en_, to solicit, to entreat; Moes. G. _sok-jan_, to ask, used with respect to prayer.

BESY, _adj._ Busy.

_Wyntown._

A. S. _bysi_, Belg. _besigh_, id.; allied perhaps to Teut. _byse_ turbatus, _bijs-en_, violento impetu agitari.

BESYNES, _s._ Business.

_Wyntown._

BESYNE, BYSENE, BYSIM, _s._ Expl. "wh.o.r.e, bawd," Gl. Sibb.

V. ~Bisym~.

BESCHACHT, _part. pa._

1. Not straight, distorted, Ang.

2. Torn, tattered; often including the idea of dirtiness, Perths. The latter seems to be an oblique use.

V. ~Shacht~.

_To_ BESLE, or BEZLE, _v. n._ To talk much at random, to talk inconsiderately and boldly on a subject that one is ignorant of, Ang.

Belg. _beuzel-en_, to trifle, to fable; Teut. _beusel-en_, nugari.

BESLE, BEZLE, _s._ Idle talking, Ang.

Belg. _beusel_, id.

BESMOTTRIT, _part. pa._ Bespattered, fouled.

_Douglas._

A. S. _besmyt-an_, maculare, inquinare; Belg. _besmodder-en_, Germ.

_schmader-n_, _schmatter-n_, to stain, S. to _smadd_, Su. G. _smitt-a_.

BESOUTH, _prep._ To the southward of.

V. ~Benorth~.

BEST, _part. pa._ Struck, beaten.

V. ~Baist~.

_Barbour._