An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 76

_Birl_ seems to be a dimin. from the v. _Birr_, used in the same sense, formed by means of the letter _l_, a common note of diminution.

BIRS, BIRSE, BYRSS, BIRSSIS, _s._

1. A bristle, "a sow's _birse_," the bristle of a sow, S.

_Evergreen._

2. Metaph. for the beard.

_Knox._

3. Metaph. for the indication of rage or displeasure. "To set up one's _birss_," to put one in a rage. The _birse_ is also said to _rise_, when one's temper becomes warm, in allusion to animals fenced with bristles, that defend themselves, or express their rage in this way, S.

_Course of Conformitie._

A. S. _byrst_, Germ. _borst_, _burst_, Su. G. _borst_, id. Ihre derives it from _burr_, a thistle. Sw. _saettia up borsten_, to put one in a rage; _borsta sig_, to give one's self airs, E. to bristle up.

~Birssy~, _adj._

1. Having bristles, rough, S.

_Douglas._

2. Hot-tempered, easily irritated, S.

3. Keen, sharp; applied to the weather. "A _birssy_ day," a cold bleak day, S. B.

_To_ BIRSE, BIRZE, BRIZE, _v. a._

1. To bruise, S.

_Watson._

_Palice of Honour._

_Brise_ is common in O. E.

2. To push or drive; _to birse in_, to push in, S.

_s.h.i.+rrefs._

A. S. _brys-an_, Belg. _brys-en_; Ir. _bris-im_; Fr. _bris-er_, id.

BIRSE, BRIZE, _s._ A bruise, S.

_To_ BIRSLE, BIRSTLE, BRISSLE, _v. a._

1. To burn slightly, to broil, to parch by means of fire; as, _to birsle pease_, S.

_Douglas._

2. To scorch; referring to the heat of the sun, S.

_Douglas._

3. To warm at a lively fire, S. A. Bor. _brusle_, id.

Su. G. _brasa_, a lively fire; whence Isl. _brys_, ardent heat, and _bryss-a_, to act with fervour, _ec breiske_, torreo, aduro; A. S.

_brastl_, glowing, _brastlian_, to burn, to make a crackling noise.

BIRSLE, BRISSLE, _s._ A hasty toasting or scorching, S.

BIRTH, BYRTH, _s._ Size, bulk, burden.

V. ~Burding~.

_Douglas._

Isl. _byrd_, _byrth-ur_, _byrth-i_, Dan. _byrde_, Su. G. _boerd_, burden; whence _byrding_, navis oneraria. The origin is Isl. _ber-a_, Su. G. _baer-a_, A. S. _ber-an_, _byr-an_, portare.

BIRTH, _s._ A current in the sea, caused by a furious tide, but taking a different course from it, Orkn. Caithn.

_Statist. Acc._

Isl. _byrdia_, currere, festinare, Verel.; as apparently signifying a strong _current_.

BY-RUNIS, _s. pl._ Arrears.

_Skene._

This is formed like ~By-ganes~, q. v.

BYRUNNING, _part. pr._ Waved.

_Douglas._

Moes. G. _birinn-an_, percurrere.