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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BARRIE, BARREY, BARRACÔT, n. [′bɑrĕ, ′bɑr, ′bɑrə, -′kot, -′kɔt]

1. A flannel coat worn by an infant; a wrapper; sometimes also used for a binder. The barrie coat was a kind of flannel bodice with a petticoat attached.Sc. 1782 Caled. Mercury (17 April): 
The said Child was dressed, when exposed, in a plaiding petticoat and barrey.Abd.(D) 1905 W. Watson Glimpses o' Auld Lang Syne 221:
I ken brawly it's a “roller” an' a “barrie” that ye're needin' shapeit.Abd.¹ 1930:
Barrie is the word commonly in use in our district. . . . Smart young mothers now say barracôt.Ags.⁹ 1926:
Barrie, garment in which a baby is wrapped.Per. c.1830 D. Webster in Harp of Perthsh. (1893) 142:
Maggie's siller pays for a', Breeks instead o' duddy barrie.Edb. 1881 J. Smith Habbie and Madge 19:
Wee babies' frocks an' flannel barries.Arg.¹ 1929:
Barrie. A flannel band round a baby's waist, next the skin.Lnk. 1923 G. Rae 'Mang Lowland Hills 19:
At the ploo I fell to thinkin' o' the barrey lang in haun, The back-end o' my troosers gapin' wide.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 49:
Barries. Flannel belts, for wrapping round the bodies of infants.

2. A woman's undergarment.Sc. a.1714 Jacobite Minstrelsy (1829) 67:
For petticoat's loose, and barrie is slitten.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales, etc. (1837) IV. 10:
Jeanie, warna ye speaking o' ganging ower to see our bairn the day? Haste thee and gang away, then; and stay nouther to put on clean bussing, kirtle nor barrie.