An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 74

BYPTICIT, _part. pa._ Dipped or dyed.

Lat. _baptizo_.

_Houlate._

BIR, BIRR, _s._ Force.

I find that Isl. _byr_, expl. ventus ferens, is deduced from _ber-a_, ferre; Gl. Edd. Saem.

V. ~Beir~.

BIRD, BEIRD, BRID, BURD, _s._

1. A lady, a damsel.

_Gawan and Gol._

As _bridde_ is the word used by Chaucer for bird, it is merely the A. S. term for pullus, pullulus. _Bird_, as applied to a damsel, appears to be the common term used in a metaph. sense.

2. Used, also metaph., to denote the young of quadrupeds, particularly of the fox.

V. ~Tod's Birds~.

BYRD, _v. imp._ It behoved, it became.

_Barbour._

A. S. _byreth_, pertinet. This imp. v. may have been formed from _byr-an_, _ber-an_, to carry, or may be viewed as nearly allied to it.

Hence _bireth_, gestavit; Germ. _berd_, _ge-baerd_, id., _sich berd-en_, gestum facere. Su. G. _boer-a_, debere, pret. _borde_, anciently _boerjade_.

BIRDING, _s._ Burden, load.

V. ~Birth, Byrth~.

_Douglas._

A. S. _byrthen_, Dan. _byrde_, id.

BIRD-MOUTH'D, _adj._ Mealy-mouth'd, S.

_Ramsay._

BYRE, _s._ Cowhouse, S. _Byer_, id. c.u.mb.

_Gawan and Gol._

Perhaps allied to Franc. _buer_, a cottage; _byre_, Su. G. _byr_, a village; Germ. _bauer_, habitaculum, cavea; from Su. G. _bo_, _bu-a_, to dwell. Or from Isl. _bu_, a cow; Gael. _bo_, id.

BIRK, _s._ Birch, a tree; S. Betula alba, Linn.

_Douglas._

A. S. _birc_, Isl. _biorki_, Teut. _berck_, id.

_To_ BIRK, _v. n._ To give a tart answer, to converse in a sharp and cutting way; S.

A. S. _birc-an_, _beorc-an_, to bark, q. of a snarling humour.

Hence,

BIRKIE, _adj._ Tart, in speech, S.

BIRKY, _s._

1. A lively young fellow; a person of mettle; S.

_Poems Buchan Dial._

2. _Auld Birky_, "In conversation, a.n.a.logous to _Old Boy_," Gl. s.h.i.+rr.

_Ramsay._

Allied perhaps to Isl. _berk-ia_, jactare, to boast; or _biarg-a_, opitulari, q. one able to give a.s.sistance.

BIRKIN, BIRKEN, _adj._ Of, or belonging to birch; S.

_Gawan and Gol._

A. S. _beorcen_, id.

_To_ BIRL, BIRLE, _v. a._

1. This word primarily signifies the act of pouring out, or furnis.h.i.+ng drink for guests, or of parting it among them.

_Douglas._

2. To ply with drink.