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.
Quotation dates: 1500-1568
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Biche, Bitche, n. Also: bicche, bich, beiche, beitch. [e.m.E. bitch, bytch, ME. bi(c)che, by(c)che, OE. bicce. Cf. Bik n.] a. A female dog. b. A lewd woman.a. c1500 Rowll Cursing 139 (B).
All thair saulis sal be transformit, Sum in bichis [M. beitches] c1500 Ib. 176.
Sum on brod sowis, sum on bichis [M. bicchis] 1506 Treasurer's Accounts III. 344.
Ane man … [that] brocht ane bich to the king c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyting 220.
Quhill all the bichis at thy botingis dois bark c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 181.
Do no wrang to dog nor beiche a1568 Scott xxx. 105.
The bich [M. bitche] the curtyk fanisb. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 82/13.
Fy, bitter bitche 1560 Ib. 121/1.
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"Biche n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/biche>
