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: 1475-1599
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Birnist, Birneist, ppl. a. Also: byrnyst. [Variant of Burnist ppl. a.] Burnished. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 130.
Hys byrnyst brand to-byrstyt at the last 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 425.
Mars … enarmit in birneist geir 1513 Id. Æn. v. v. 29.
A habirgyon of byrnyst mailȝeis brycht 1560 Rolland Seven Sages Prol. 15.
With birneist brand a1568 Scott vi. 29.
Birneist bras c1590 J. Stewart 11/9.
From thy birnist bour 1587-99 Hume v. 35.
All in vain [is] the birnist gold
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"Birnist ppl. adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/birnist>
