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.
Quotation dates: 1908-1931
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BIRSI, n. [′bərsɪ]
1. (See quots.)Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
De b[irsi]: "the bristly one," sea-term (tabu-name) for the swine.Sh. 1931 J. Nicolson Sh. Incidents and Tales 56:
Domestic animals likewise had their sea-names . . . the swine was da birsi, and da hirki.
2. (See quot.)Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Birsi . . . Also as a name for some fishing-grounds with a very uneven bottom: de Birsi [west Unst.].
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"Birsi n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 8 Jul 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/birsi>
