Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

Bere, Beir, v.¹ Also: ber, berre, beir(e, beyr(e, bair, bayr, bare, bear(e, beer, P.t. bar(e, bair(e, bayr, baere; bur(e, buir(e, buyr(e, bw(y)ir; bore, boir, boor(e, bowir, P.p. born(e, bornne; bor(e, boir, boyr. [ME. bere (beere, beare, bare), beren, OE. beran (ONhb. beara). The p.t. corresponds to ME. bare, bar (OE. bær) and bore (rare before 1600), and the p.p. to ME. born, boren (OE. boren), southern bore, whence the forms without -n in Sc.]In addition to the senses illustrated below, the verb also occurs in a number of special phrases, for which see the nouns, as company, hand, witnes, etc.

I. 1. tr. To hold (up) or carry in the hand(s) or on some other part of the body; to serve as a support to.To bere the croun: see Croun n.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 617.
Ik have ane othir it [sc. the seal] to ber a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 72.
Drusiane … We beyre nov to enterrit be c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 328.
Berand gret charges with hym … Of gold c1420 Wynt. i. 732.
Thai wyll wyth thame that appyll bere c1420 Ib. viii. 2026.
Wapnys … As manly men than oysyde to bere 1456 Hay I. 294/2.
To were wedis that the tothir brethir mycht nocht lefully bere 1456 Ib. II. 12/11.
To bere him, that he suld nocht ga on fute c1460 Consail Wys Man 257.
Tak na byrding bot thow may bere 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I. 88.
Til a man that beyris Sanct Fyllanis bell c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 100.
Berand a barell on a styng c1500-c1512 Ib. vii. 42.
That beris helme or scheild 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 107.
The stull … will nocht ber ane myll stane 1513 Doug. i. viii. 13.
On hir schulder the arrow cace baris sche 1513 Ib. iii. v. 25.
Berand tharof the septre and the wand 1531 Bell. Boece I. 66.
Beirand his handis to the hevin c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 53.
Peter nor Paule … Gart neuer beir vp thare taillis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 358.
For thre warkmen to beir the rufe 1568 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 658/1.
Nailling to bracis to bair the tronke a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xxxi. 28.
Grit parrell is … To beir the saill [etc.] 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Pede.
Ane pedder … quha beirs ane pack 1607–8 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 559.
For ane peice trie to beir the wall(b) 1375 Barb. v. 606.
The tothir bath suerd and hand-ax bair 1375 Ib. 627.
The brothir that the hand-ax bar c1420 Wynt. iii. 224.
Thretty men that … Ryche robys on thame bare c1420 Ib. v. 434.
That senyhe That Bretownys bare c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 548.
A bow he bair 1513 Doug. i. iv. 56; 1513 Ib. iii. v. 7; etc.
The ledaris … Quhilk on thar hedis bair the tyndis hie 1585 James VI Ess. 39.
Who in her virgin hand a riche crowne bair c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iii. 221.
Ten scor thai wan of hors that cariage bure c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 168–9.
All thir bure ganyeis … ; But Resoun bure the Targe 1513 Doug. vi. i. 69.
Sevin ȝong stottis, that ȝok bur nevir nane 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 68/25.
Sche bure ane scheild 15.. Clariodus i. 10.
Ane of them buir his bricht helme him before 1562-3 Winȝet I. 59/20.
Gif kingis … buir nocht a suord a1578 Pitsc. I. 251/25.
Scho buire mony cannons a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS lxxxvi. 13.
My secund brother buyr the pak 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 24.
The said Johne Hammiltoun boore and wore pistolets c1650 Spalding I. 40.
The Erll of Glencarne bure the scepter, quhilk the Erll of Rothas bure the first day(c) a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i. 280.
Borne wes his banair Vpoun a schule a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 805.
Wald God I had bene borne on beire c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 70.
The suerd … Be borne suld highe before thé 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 149.
Under ane pale of gold … Be burgeis borne 1570 Satirical Poems xviii. 12.
This commoun weill had borne the laurell blume

b. To bear as a charge, etc., in arms, or in phr. to bere armis. 1375 Barb. xvii. 238.
Fiff hundreth men … That armys bar of ancistry ? 1398 Fordun (1759) II. 423.
I beer a py pykkand at ane pes c1420 Wynt. viii. 1455.
In thase armeys bath thai bere The sternys c1420 Ib. 7116.
The armys off Fraunce that he bare c1450-2 Howlat 366.
He bure a lyon … of gowlis full gay c1450-2 Ib. 535.
The Dowglas in armes the bludy hart beris c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 383.
The squyer buir, into his scheild, Ane otter in ane siluer feild 1561 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 502.
Berand armes of differens aither fra vthir

2. To carry, convey, or transport, from one place to another.Usually with advs. or preps. as away, doun, to or till.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 630.
Men mycht thaim se … beir to se bath ayr and steir a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 224.
Lele men sall … ber myn corse away with thame c1420 Wynt. ii. 1037.
Jupitere … Gert the egyle … bere hym wp in to the ayre c1420 Ib. vi. 1266.
That that chyld mycht a lettyr bere Til hys wyff c1460 Thewis Gud Women 188.
Be nocht redy chargis to tak, Na erandis bere 1494 Treasurer's Accounts I. 251.
To vij men … berand the tymmyr of the auld schipe tyll a hous a1500 Bk. Chess 2000.
Currouris that beris letteris to & fro 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 69.
Beir hym this message 1513 Ib. v. vi. 14.
Cum bayr the pryce away 1542 Treasurer's Accounts VIII. 133.
To four barrowmen … baring of lous erd and stane furtht of the samin [clos] 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 297.
To beir twa fyrn spars to the Newhevin fra Leyth 1555 Ib. 300.
To beir down her small wark … to Leyth 1594–5 Misc. Spald. C. V. 59.
For bering thame to Alex. Jaffray's hows(b) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 195.
Thare harnes all to schype thai bare c1420 Wynt. i. 364.
Tyll a crag … He bare hym fast c1420 Ib. vii. 3131.
Hyr cors thai tuk wp and bare ben 1456 Hay I. 241/2.
The custume … that women bare the sede to the laboure 1513 Doug. ii. xi.
Quhou Eneas hys fader bayr away 1567 Criminal Trials I. 495.
He bare up ane toome poulder barrel a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1073.
Doun fra the croce Josephe Jhesu bure a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 413.
Oft the price he bure away 1501 Treasurer's Accounts II. 129.
To ij childer that bure the organis … our the Month 1535 Stewart 38583.
To Crissin bereis … [he] thame buir a1540 Freiris Berw. 573.
He … to the dur delyverly him bure(c) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2796.
He was borne away as deide c1420 Wynt. i. 211.
He wes the fyrst at gart be made Pentys to be borne aboute 15.. Clariodus v. 2816.
His chyre to chalmer was borne royallie

b. In various phrases relating to the acquisition or loss of possession. 1474 Acts Lords Auditors 33/2.
To be … joysit be the said abbot & conuent, ay & quhill … William schew sum thing to ber it lauchfully fra thaim 1478 Ib. 62/1.
The questioun quhether the gift of the landis … in lif rent suld ber the Countas … fra hir terce or nocht 1496 Acts Lords of Council II. 22.
The saidis Lordis … reservis to hir the richt that may pertene to hir gif scho schawis the richt that may bere hir thairto

3. To carry by impact; to drive, thrust, or press. Also fig. 1375 Barb. vi. 141.
His hors, that was borne doune 1375 Ib. viii. 56.
Sum in the furde thai bakward bare c1420 Wynt. viii. 4698.
Thai bare down buskis in thare way c1420 Ib. 5259.
Throw thame bath his spere he bare 1456 Hay I. 50/18.
Quhare mony worthy man … was borne doune dede to grounde c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 823.
The battaill on bak v akyr breid thai ber c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 82.
I bure hym bakwart to the ground 15.. Clariodus v. 2237.
Clariodus … buire the knightis from thair horse alloft 1622-6 Bisset I. 112/25.
To repell and beir a bak utheris c1650 Spalding I. 9.
The Erll … set thame a syd and boor them doun

b. To pierce with a weapon. c1420 Wynt. viii. 5017.
Ramsay … hym owt throw the body bare c1420 Ib. 5222.
Ramsay wes … Borne throw the helme wyth a spere c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iii. 145; c1475 Ib. v. 1106, etc.
Wallace the formast in the byrneis bar

c. intr. To make a thrust or stroke. 1513 Doug. x. x. 24.
The tother … Buyr at hym mychtyly with a lang speir

d. To direct one's course. 1513 Doug. x. vi. 16.
Haist owr the flude, bair to the schoir

4. a. To bear or have as a distinctive mark, quality, dignity, etc.See also the various nouns, as cure, gre, name, office, price. 1375 Barb. xx. 130.
The rialte that his douchter bar a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 591.
For to bere myn name c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2878.
None vthir that euir lyve baire c1420 Wynt. v. 3645.
Offycerys that off hym bare Cure or state 1443 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 36.
Considerand the office that yhe bere 1456 Hay I. 83/29.
He … beris the mare honour of hardynes 1456 Ib. II. 64/19.
He is nocht worthy to bere that … noble ordre a1500 Bk. Chess 245.
Of the realme … The rewll he beris c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 256.
Thou beris of makaris the tryumph riall 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 54.
Sum name of wyrschip and autorite bair I 1513 Ib. v. ii. 52.
To preif hys picht … and bair the gre 1556 Peebles B. Rec. 231.
The inqueist ordanis the breid to beir the pais [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 22/30.
So lang as ȝe beir the gouernance of this realme 1622-6 Bisset II. 225/27.
The capitanis … berand cuir in schipis

b. To bear, nourish, in the mind or heart; to feel. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1351.
Agane … the king Berand full angerly his thocht 1456 Hay II. 154/21.
Quhilk … may consave tresoun in his hert … and bere it secret 1494 Reg. Episc. Morav. 219.
The luff ue ber to the sade reverend fadir 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 112.
That in hys mynd and breist all tymys bar Sangis and gestis 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 3/17.
The feruent loue that ȝour grace baris touart … ȝour only dochtir 1558 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 112.
Berand perpetuale disdane aganis the generale Counsalis 1563 Ib. 212.
As I buire hatred to the Councels 1596 Dalr. I. 348/3.
The ire that his harte buir against Wallase 1609 Criminal Trials III. 47.
Maxwell … buir the same [grudge] within him selff 1616 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 175.
For loue or favor he boor to anie

c. To bear, endure, suffer, as a burden, pain or punishment, etc. Also intr. to put up with, to endure.(1) c1420 Wynt. v. 2880.
That he suld tholle and bere pennans 1456 Hay I. 160/17.
Thare suld na man bere ane otheris synnis 1456 Ib. 232/36.
He aw nocht to bere punycioun c1420 Ratis Raving 1035.
Thow sal bere al the blame 1513 Doug. i. xii. 10.
Mysery … Quharof myself a gret part bayr 1532 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 60.
Till … beyr all portable charges … within this burgh a1500 Peblis to Play 23.
Thy bak sall beir ane bend 1549 Treasurer's Accounts IX. 358.
To ane commissair … to beyr his expens a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS cxiii. 22.
Instructand me to patientlie My trouble beir(2) 1558-66 Knox II. 383.
Be [= by] bearing with impietie 1562-3 Winȝet II. 78/15.
That thai wynkit and burne with sum 1567 Satirical Poems iv. 98.
Quhat breist can beir bot man lament my deid

d. To support, carry, hold, etc. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 325.
Thai can nocht bere prosperytee Na warldis welth 1513 Doug. xiii. ii. 91.
Beir ȝour myndis equale 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 178.
The grond … will beyre in pastoring four score … of hyrdwyse nolt

e. [After ON. bera.] To bear witness to. 1509 Rec. Earld. Orkney 84.
The quhilkis persons bure, swere, and schew ilk penny land in skyft and towmal [etc.]

5. refl. To bear or conduct (oneself). 1375 Barb. xiv. 77.
The Scottis men in that fechting Swa apertly and weille thame bar 1375 Ib. 275.
Gif that we beir ws manfully c1420 Wynt. v. 4078.
Till ilk man famylyere In all aport he couth hym bere c1420 Ib. vi. 1168.
I bare me noucht than As I suld hawe dune 1456 Hay I. 29/23.
A scorpioun … plesandly beris hir in company a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2600.
This child … bure him … Sa meike, sa sweit & sa lawly 1513 Doug. i. viii. 17.
Dido … hir blithly bair Amyd thame all 1513 Ib. xii. ix. 47.
He … buyr hym law a1540 Freiris Berw. 205.
Into this case … how sall I me beir a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xvi. 14.
Quha in the feild maist valeantlie him beiris 1626 Garden Worthies 7.
Bravly thow thé boore

b. intr. To carry oneself; to act, behave. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 80.
Than [came] Lichery … Berand lyk a bagit hors c1500-c1512 Ib. lvii. 15.
Sum beiris as he wald ga wod 1572 J. Maitland Satirical Poems xxxvii. 47.
Gif ȝe beir strange, thai ȝow esteme our stay a1578 Pitsc. I. 171/27.
The lordis … buire fair quhill they saw thair tyme

6. To bear or exhibit in writing; to state or allege; to purport.Frequently followed by that, or in clauses beginning with as. 1478 Acts Lords Auditors 75/2.
His lettre of obligatioun … bering the sett of the sammyn [landis] 1482 Ib. 101/1.
Als the indorsing … proportit and bure the sammyn 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I. 93.
For the byggin … of the Hwnt Hall, lykeas his bil beyris 1496 Acts Lords of Council II. 19.
Ane instrument quhilk bure that he … gaif his consent 1510 Reg. Privy S. I. 326/2.
As the last fute of compt … beris in the self 1526 Dunferm. B. Rec. 281.
Ane letter berand in to effek that he [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4395.
As at more lenth thare storye beris 1574 Inverness B. Rec. I. 239.
His bill … berand that the Wattir of Nes [etc.] 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I. 163.
It buir that his Majeste was delyuered out of ane perrel 1641 Kirkcudbright Min. Bk. 157.
As the said supplicatione at length beires 1666 Melrose R. Rec. II. 148.
A testificate … beering that they received custome [etc.]

b. To bear as an inscription or device. 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 160.
The plakkis … bering in the circumscriptioun the dait … 1557 1622-6 Bisset II. 110/9.
On the west syde ar stones … berand this tytill

II. 7. tr. To give birth to; to bring forth. Also intr. To bere that (etc.) birth: see Birth n.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 259.
That he mycht get & scho beyre barnis c1420 Wynt. i. 702.
Sum mudrys in that land alsua Berys bot anys 1490 Irland Mir. I. 101/23.
To bere that blist child c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1057.
All thy bairnis sall thou bair with dolour 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 31.
That … scho sould beir na ma childrene(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 22.
The ȝungaste that Anna bare c1420 Wynt. v. 4160.
Off hir body scho bare bot man c1420 Ib. vi. 1940.
That sowne that he gat scho bare a1500 Bk. Chess 1222.
To this woman come … a douchter that scho bair 1513 Doug. iii. v. 112.
The child … Quham to thé bayr Crevse 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 148/6.
Sen my mother me bair a1605 Montg. Flyting 293.
The bellie that it first bair full bitterly they ban c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 211.
Wepyt … In fureous payne, the moder that the bur a1500 Bernardus 156.
Thar formodyr Eua that tham bure c 1560 Stirlings of Keir 414.
Jonat Lany … bowir to him sonis and dochtiris 1570 Leslie 145.
Lady Anne Bulleyn … buyre to him ane dochter 1638 Lundie Poems 39.
My mother that me buir 1649 Wemyss Chart. II. 231.
My … beid I boir my shildrein in 1657 Mure Hist. Rowallane 254.
She bure vnto him Johne(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints ix. 137.
Sa suld he One a … virgine be borne c1420 Wynt. ii. 1.
Befor that Ihesu Cryst wes borne c1420 Ib. vi. 1215.
This chyld now borne empryour sall be 1456 Hay I. 3/19.
The land of Provence of quhilk I am borne 1456 Ib. 190/28.
God … was borne under the umbre of mariage c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 175.
Othir als that borne war of Argill c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliv. 31.
Sen scho hes borne him in hir halines 1513 Doug. 916/1.
Of Mantua am I beget and boir c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 109.
Till he did see hir … nakit as scho was borne 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 566.
[Thay] grantis that Elspot has ellis born ane barn

8. To produce as fruit or as a crop. Also intr. c1420 Wynt. v. 154.
That palme tre That datys bare c1420 Ib. vii. 469.
Bathe frwyt and floure all lyk to bere c1450-2 Howlat 27.
The birth that the ground bure a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 310.
To gud the tre … to gar it bere 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 26/18.
Ȝour treis sal bayr frute 1549 Ib. 123/33.
The fertilite that the grond maye bayr a1568 Scott xxx. 45.
As grund is ordaned to beir seid 1596 Dalr. I. 31/21.
Argyle … to beir kornes … is verie vnmeit