An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 66

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._