Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

¶TABEAN BIRBEN, n. Also brirben. A form conjectured by Jam. to be a corruption of Tabian evourbane, i.e. ivory from Tabia in Italy. The explanation is most improbable for the first element but more plausible in regard to the second.Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs I. 149:
And wha will kame thy bonny head With a tabean birben kame? [MS. brirben]