Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BAIRGE, BERGE, Bearge, n.2, v.2 [berdʒ, bɛrdʒ]
1. n.
(1) The voice lifted up in a strong and loud manner, either in speaking, reading, weeping, or calling after one.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 9:
She geed oot wee a bairge o' a greet.Ib.:
Gee a bairge after 'im, an' tell 'im t' come seen back.
(2) A person who lifts his voice in a strong and loud manner.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 9:
Fah wid hae him for a minister? He's jist a mere bairge, fin he preaches; an' it croons a', fin he praies.Abd.7 1925:
Berge, one who is impetuous in talk.
2. v.
(1) “To speak in a loud and angry manner; to scold, rail, or taunt loudly” (Jam.6 1887 for w. and n.Sc.).ne.Sc.(D) 1922 “The Beylie” in Mair Swatches o' Hamespun 82:
Bit fin muv she widna, he startit up an' berged oot, “Speak up, ye abandoned umman.”Nai. 1813 W. Leslie Gen. View Agric. of Nai. and Mry. 449:
Bearge. To persist in clamourous repetition though disregarded.Bnff.2 1932:
Fat are ye bairgen at? I'm nae deef.w.Dmf. 1894 J. Shaw in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 142:
Bairge, to scold.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 47:
‡Bairge, to speak volubly, loudly, or scoldingly.
(2) (See second quot.)Bnff.2 1932:
Shut up that noisy brute o' a dog o' yours; he bairges on throw the haill nicht.Bch. 1897 J. Forrest in Buchan Field Club IV. 78–80:
Bairge, to bark like a dog on the chain.
vbl.n. bairgan, the act of lifting up the voice in a strong and loud manner.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 9:
He hauds a sair bairgan o' a' thing intill's lug. He's unco dull o' hearin'.
ppl.adj. bairgin'.
(1) Having the habit of lifting up the voice in a loud manner.Mry.(D) 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sketches v.:
Sandy, remarking that she was a “bairgin' eediot o' a wife yon,” settled down to the mending of my boots in earnest.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 10:
The new minister hiz a bairgin' wye o' readin'.
(2) Much given to weeping noisily.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 10:
He's a bulliein', bairgin' bairn, that o' yours.
