A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1475-1535
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Big, a. Also: byg, byge. [ME. big, bigg(e, byg(ge, byge, of obscure origin. In Sc. only poetic, and prob. adopted from Eng. writers.] Big, large; stout, strong.c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 213.
Likle he was, richt byge and weyle beseyne c1475 Ib. iv. 548.
A bow he bair was byg and weyll beseyn a1500 Golagros and Gawane 6.
Biggest of bane and blude a1500 Ib. 706.
Mony burgh, mony bour, mony big bike a1500 Henr. Fab. 1947.
Was nane sa big about him he wald spair c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 140.
With bowis big 1513 Doug. i. iii. 89.
With his byg ceptour 1513 Ib. iv. viii. 69.
The ancyant aik tre, With hys byg schank 1513 Ib. xiii. viii. 13.
Hys byg statur and hycht 1535 Stewart 1186.
Bald as ane bair, and big to weild ane brand 1535 Ib. 60556.
So big he wes baith of bone and blude
b. Used in alliteration with Bene a. (q.v.).a1500 Henr. Fab. 2732.
Thow in barn and byre sa bene and big
