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: 1768-1826, 1879-1923
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BIRKEN, adj. and n.
1. adj. Made of, consisting of, pertaining to birk, birch.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 42:
His legs they loos'd, but flighter'd held his hands, An' lasht him hame before wi' birken wands.Ags. 1826 A. Balfour Highland Mary I. x. 213:
Flunky Tam sat hiddlings behind a birken-buss.Edb. 1801 J. Thomson Poems 94:
An' fareweel a' ye birken bow'rs.Bwk. 1879 W. Chisholm Poems 22:
When I open'd my een the fairies were gane An' I lay i' the birken shaw my lane.Rxb. 1901 W. Laidlaw Poetry and Prose (1908) 6:
Down in the woodland glade, Under the birken shade.
2. n. Birch tree. Adj. used as n.Abd. 1923 B. R. M'Intosh Scent o' the Broom 12:
I'll link it my lane ower the dew-dabbled heather, And bide 'neath the birkens doon-bye.Ags. 1897 C. Sievewright in A. Reid Bards of Angus and Mearns 411:
The sweet-scented birkens are leafless and naked.m.Lth. 1882 C. Neill in Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets, IV. 204:
Sweet in the birken the mavis is singing.
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"Birken adj., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/birken>
