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

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bern, Beirn, n.² Also: berne, beirne, beyrne, birn; barne, bairne. [ME. bern(e, birne, barne, etc., early ME. and OE. beorn.] A man, esp. a fighting man; a warrior, hero.Only poetic, and usually with alliteration.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 293.
With bernis so bald Ib. 996.
The blist barne, that all berne bowis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 5; Ib. 275, 571, etc.
With banrentis, … and bernis full bald a1500 Henr. Fab. 2103.
Thow art ane berne full bald c1475 Wall. iv. 310.
A squier come, and with him bernys four Ib. vi. 652.
That cruell berne and bald c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 210.
Bla berfute berne Id. Tua Mar. W. 60.
Birdis hes ane better law na bernis Ib. 74, etc.
Quhair bernis war mony 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 146.
Twa hundreth walyt hors men … sal I geif onto that bern Ib. xii. xii. 139.
That awfull bern 1528 Lynd. Dreme 919.
We saw a boustious berne cum ouir the bent 1535 Stewart 1752.
Quhair mony berne full bald Convenit a1568 Scott ii. 184.
Baill fell the bern that bedit 1571 Sat. P. xxviii. 114.
To battell boun with him was bernis bauld(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 6569.
He . .hale him tald The changeing of thay beirneis bald a1500 Rauf C. 187.
Thay beirnis … had aneuch thair Ib. 784.
To ȝone busteous beirne c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 2 (M).
I hard ane beyrne say till ane bricht 1535 Stewart 7088.
Euerie beirne hes bownit for battell c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 247.
Ane birnand beirne … and bald Id. Seven S. 317/25.
Sic ane beirne a1603 Anc. Prophecies 3, etc.].
[Other beirnes … banisht for euer(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. l. 27 (B).
Was never … so bauld a bairne [M. berne] as he a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. xxxv. 157.
That bousteous bairne proud Oliphern 1604-31 Craig v. 34.
Then blythlie the bairne blent