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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.

Beuch, Bewch, n. Also: beugh, bewche, buche, bwche; pl. bewys, -is, -es, buwys, bowis. [ME. bouh, bouȝ, bogh, etc., OE. bóh, bóᵹ, shoulder, foreleg, branch. The pl. bewis is normally developed from OE. bóᵹas: cf. the pl. of cleuch, heuch, pleuch.]

1. A bough or branch of a tree.(a) sing. c1450-2 Howlat 607.
Ilk braunche and beugh a1500 Henr. Fab. 440; Ib. 562.
Vnder ane birkin beuch Ib. 570 (B).
With that the cok brade vnto a buche c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 205.
Ȝe speik of berdis on bewch Ib. l. 27.
Vyld Robeine wnder bewch 1513 Doug. vi. ii. 121.
Amyd a rank tre lurkis a goldin bewch 1535 Stewart 38811.
Sa mony bus and beuch a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 35.
Euery blome on bransche and bewch Id. Son. v. 2.
Sacred beughis 1603 Stirling B. Rec. I. 107.
All tymbir … with the haill bark and beuche thairof(b) pl. c1420 Wynt. i. 111.
Off buskis, bankkis, and of bewys Ib. v. 156.
The buwys bowyd lawe c1450-2 Howlat 897.
No bird was him lyke … Wnder the bewes a1500 Henr. Fab. 1322.
The bewis braid blomit abone my heid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 31.
With birkin bewis about a1500 Seven S. 334.
The bewes faire Of the gret tre c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 39.
Emerant bewis grene 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 94.
With festuale flowris and bewys Ib. iii. x. 47.
Cipressis berand heich thar bewys 1535 Stewart 639.
The blumand bewis abundand with sic birth 1560 Rolland Seven S. 46/18.
The bewis and branches of the auld [tree] 1587-99 Hume ii. 185.
In banks and bewis 1611-57 Mure I. 126/950.
Her heaven-bent bewes

2. The shoulder of a person or animal. a1568 Scott ii. 158.
Ryde doun this bra, Thocht ȝe suld brek ane bwche Ib. 176.
Sum be the bewche he hang 1581 Sat. P. xliv. 127.
Ron custe the vsurie hard be the beuch a1700 P. D. Mare of Collingtoun in Watson Coll. I. 46.
Willie … came and tuik her by the beugh, And with a rung … Laid on her

3. The bow of a vessel. ? 1623 Bann. MS. 210 b.
Beir vp hir beugh albeit she sould ly over