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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.

Birn, Byrn, v. Also: birne, byrne, byrnn. [ME. birne, byrne, OE. byrnan, or (by metathesis of r) from ON. brinna Brin v. See also Burn v.]

1. intr. To be on fire. (Freq. in pres. pple.) 1375 Barb. v. 24; Ib. xvii. 619.
The fire That thai saw byrnand c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1712.
It signified the se birnand c1420 Wynt. iii. 775.
A bale fyre … byrnand schyre 1456 Hay I. 13/18.
A grete hill all birnand a1500 Rauf C. 222.
Ane bricht fyre was byrnand full bald c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyting 14.
The se sould birn c1500-c1512 Kennedy Ib. 279.
He birnis in hell 1513 Doug. ii. v. 92.
The … fyre, Quhilk in hir tempil … byrnys schyre Ib. vi. 28.
The nixt hows byrnys of Vcalegon 1531 Bell. Boece II. 63.
Ane crownit dragoun wes sene birnand in the lift c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2488.
Quhowbeit the tempyll byrn 1567 G. Ball. 34.
To byrne in hell for ay

b. To glow with heat or brilliance. ?1438 Alex. ii. 3703.
The poyntis … of rubeis birnand as fyre c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 25.
Beriall droppis … birnyng as ruby sperkis Id. xxvi. 87.
Lyk turkas birnand reid 15.. Clar. i. 24.
His helmit … All birnand full of bricht stonis

c. fig. To be ardent, eager, angry, etc. c1420 Wynt. viii. 3170.
A gredy carle . .wes Byrnand in swylk gredynes 1456 Hay I. 85/10.
Ane othir is … byrnand full of ire c1420 Ratis R. 826.
Yre That byrnis in thi thocht as fyr a1500 Henr. III. 147/40.
The low of luf … full blithlie birnis a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 320.
Our brestis birnand with a hevinlie fyre 1513 Doug. iv. iii. 21.
Dido byrnys in hait lufe al atanys 1533 Boece iii. xiii. 110 b.
That … he suld nocht birn in wilfulnes 1567 G. Ball. 96.
His irefull hart with baill sall euer byrne a1578 Pitsc. I. 4/1.
He birnis ay in sicht of guid or euill

2. tr. To set on fire; to consume with fire. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 797.
To byrne the gret cite 1405 Douglas Corr. 63.
That my men … has byrnde the toun of Berwike 1456 Acts II. 46/1.
That na man sulde byrne ane vther mannys hous c1475 Wall. vi. 479.
Sum bad byrn him c1475 Wall. xi. 288.
In cruell fyr he byrnys this regioun 1504 Breadalbane Doc. (Reg. H.) No. 32.
Thar landis … and gudis to waist, distroy and birne 1513 Doug. iv. x. 88.
Reddy to byrn thi schippys 1531 Bell. Boece I. 107.
To birne the bodyis of thaim that deis 1563 Inverness B. Rec. I. 98.
Saying … scho suld byrnn all his cornisabsol. 1375 Barb. xvii. 525.
Thai … in Ingland gert byrn and sla 1540 Buccleugh Mun. II. 171.
I oblis me … to oist, birn, sla and distroy ilk xv dayis anys c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4637.
To byrne and skald thay never pretendit

b. In figurative uses. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 466.
Lust birnis thy breist 1513 Doug. ix. ii. 76.
The huge ennoy byrnys hym throu the banysIb. x. v. 146.
Syrius … Byrnys the erth of drowth c1590 J. Stewart 20/179.
That both dois birne and freis My blaiknit brest

c. To burn with a hot iron; to brand. 1507 Treas. Acc. IV. 77.
For ane irn to byrn sair teith 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 19.
Scho wes adiugit to be birnt of bayth the chekis