Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BANEFIRE, n. Bonfire.Ork. 1842 D. Vedder Poems 140:
Let banefires blaze on the Wardlaw height, Unyoke baith pleugh an' cart bedeen.Crm. 1714 First Earl of Crm. in Earls of Cromartie (ed. Fraser 1876) II. 152:
Is it not lawfull for heartie people to set up banefires when they please?Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 42:
Banefires. Bonfires; fires of joy.Rxb. (Hawick) c.1830 J. Ballantyne Pawkie Paiterson's Auld Grey Yaud:
And for to mend his auld fail dykes Aw'll leave him ma auld banes; And a' the callants o' Hawick Loan Wull make banefires o' mei — Aw'm Pawkie Paiterson's auld grey yaud, Sae that's the end o' mei!Rxb. 1888 J. A. H. Murray N.E.D.:
For the annual midsummer “banefire” or “bonfire” in the burgh of Hawick, old bones were regularly collected and stored up, down to c.1800.