Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bere, Beir, n.³ Also: beire (beeire), beyr, bijr, bear(e, beer(e. [e.m.E. and ME. beer(e, bere, ME. ber, beor, OE. béor (ONhb. béar).] Beer.(a) 1364 Exch. R. II. 177.
In … viginti duabus barellis de bere 1365 Ib. 227.
In empcione 29 barellarum de bere. … de quo bere respondebit 1435 Ib. IV. 627.
Pro tribus barellis de bere 1549 Ann. Banff I. 25.
That all brovisteris sall keipe … pris in selling of thair breid, bere and ayll 1595 Duncan Appendix.
Zythus, beere(b) 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 284.
For a last of beyr that ȝeid to Striuelin 1505 Ib. III. 58.
For tua barrellis beir to the Gray Freris of Gedburgh 1535 Stewart 38040.
Quhair tha suld drink … Marche aill and also doubill beir a1568 Scott v. 31.
Butter, new cheis, and beir in May 1596 Dalr. I. 98/6.
Thay haue verie lytle vse of breid, evin as thay haue of gude beir 1603 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 32.
That na darrer aill be sauld nor xvj d. the poynt, and the beir for xviij d. the poynt 1661–2 Irvine Mun. II. 263.
For 3 choppeins wyn, a pynt beir(c) 1587-99 Hume iii. 147.
Sume likes the reamand London beare, The bodie to refresh 1629 Elgin Rec. II. 207.
No taverner that ventis vyne, bear or aill 1690 Acts IX. 206/1.
Ane Imposition of two pennies … upon every pint of ale and beare

b. Attrib. with brewar, can, coupe, glas, sellar, silver, unlaw. 1578 Edinb. Test. VI. 232.
Ane coup of siluer with ane beir coupe 1578 Prot. Bk. J. Robesone 16 b.
xl s. awand be … his broder for his fee & beir siluer 1606–7 Misc. Spald. C. V. 80.
For ane eftir nunis drink to the provest and bailleis quhen the beir unlawis wer tane up 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI. 174 b.
The grit giltit beir can weyand xxij vnce 1629 M. Works Acc. XXI. 37.
Sum [sawn spars] … for the beir sellar 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Thre beir glasses 1634 Edinb. Test. LVII. 22.
Iames Smyth, beir brewar 1647 Ib. LXIII. 228.
Iohne Gordoun, beirbrewar 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 98.
For 2 wyne glasses and a bear glas