Perhaps from Su. G. _basse_, vir potens, V. ~Bausy~, or _base_,
spectrum, and _brun_, fuscus, q. the strong goblin of a brown
appearance.
BAXTER, _s._ A baker, S.
V. ~Bakster~.
_Ramsay._
BAZED, BASED, BASIT, _part. pa._
_Watson's Coll._
_Maitland Poems._
Teut. _baes-en_, delirare; Belg. _byse_, _bysen_, turbatus; Su. G.
_bes-a_ denotes the state of animals so stung by insects, that they are
driven hither and thither; Fr. _bez-er_, id.
BE, _prep._
1. By, as denoting the cause, agent, or instrument, S.
_Barbour._
2. Towards, in composition; as, _be-east_, towards the east; _be-west_,
towards the west, S.
_Wyntown._
3. Of, concerning; as, _be the_, concerning thee.
_Wallace._
4. By the time that.
_Diallog._
5. During, expressive of the lapse of time.
_Keith._
A. S. _be_, per; de; circa.
_Be than_, by that time.
BE, _part. pa._ Been.
_Douglas._
_To_ BEAL.
V. ~Beil~.
BEANSHAW.
V. ~Benshaw~.
_To_ BEAR, BER, BERE, _v. a._ _To bear on hand_, to affirm, to relate.
_Wyntown._
_To bear upon_, to restrain one's self, S. B.
_Ross._
BEAR, BERE, _s._ Barley, having four rows of grains, S. Hordeum
vulgare, Linn.
_Wyntown._
A. S. _bere_, Moes. G. _bar_, hordeum.
BEAR LAND, land appropriated for a crop of barley, S.
_To go through the bear land with_ one, to tell him all the grounds of
umbrage at his conduct, to pluck a crow with him, S.
BEARIS BEFOR, Ancestors.
_Wallace._
A translation of Lat. _antecessores_.
BEARANCE, _s._ Toleration, S.
_J. Nicol._
BEAT, _s._ A stroke, a blow, a contusion, S. B. apparently the same with
_Byt_ used in this sense by Douglas.
_To_ BEBBLE, _v. a._
1. To swallow any liquid in small, but frequent draughts; whether the
liquor be intoxicating or not, S.
2. To tipple, _v. n._ "He's ay _bebbling_ and drinking;" he is much
given to tippling, S.
It seems to be formed from Lat. _bibere_ to drink, in the same
manner as _bibulus_, soaking, drinking, or taking it wet.
BECHT, _part. pa._ Tied; Gl. Rudd.
Germ. _bieg-en_, flectere, is probably the origin.
_To_ BECK, BEK, _v. s._
1. To make obeisance, to cringe, S.
_Bannatyne Poems._
2. To curtsy; as restricted to the obeisance made by a woman, and
contra-distinguished from bowing.
Isl. _beig-a_, Germ. _bieg-en_, to bow.
BECK, BEK, _s._ A curtsy, S.
_Maitland Poems._
BEDDY, _adj._ Expressive of a quality in grey-hounds; the sense
uncertain.
_Watson's Coll._
It may signify, attentive to the cry of the huntsman. Fr. _baudé_,
"a cry as of hounds, Breton;" Cotgr. It may, however, be the same word
which occurs in the S. Prov.; "Breeding wives are ay _beddie_;" Kelly,
p. 75. "Covetous of some silly things," N. In this sense it is probably
allied to Isl. _beid-a_, A. S. _bidd-an_, Moes. G. _bid-jan_, Belg.
_bidd-en_, to ask, to supplicate, to solicit.
BEDE, _pret._ Offered; from the v. ~Bid~.
_Sir Gawan and Sir Gal._
Chaucer uses the v. ~Bede~ as signifying to offer.
A. S. _baed_, obtulit, from _beodan_.
BEDELUIN, _part. pa._ Buried, hid under ground.
_Douglas._
A. S. _bedelfen_, sepultus, infossus; _be-delf-an_, circumfodere.
BEDENE, BY DENE, _adv._
1. Quickly, forthwith.
_Barbour._
2. It seems also to signify, besides, moreover; in addition, as
respecting persons.
_Gawan and Gol._
3. It undoubtedly signifies, in succession, or "one after another."
_Gawan and Gol._
As _belyve_, very similar in sense, is undoubtedly the imperat. of
_belif-an_, q. _wait_, _stay_; _bedene_ may have been formed in the
same manner, from Germ. _bedien-en_, to serve, to obey.
BEDIS, _s. pl._ Prayers.
_King's Quair._
Germ. _bed-en_; Germ. _ge-bet_, prayer. Hence O. E. _bidde_, and
the phrase, _to bidde prayers_, to ask, to solicit them.
BEDE-HOUSE, _s._ A term used for an alms-house, S. B.
_Statist. Acc._
BEDE-MAN, BEIDMAN, _s._
1. A person who resides in a bede-house, or is supported from the funds
appropriated for this purpose, S.
_Statist. Acc._
2. In the Court of Exchequer, this term is used to denote one of that
class of paupers who enjoy the royal bounty. The designation has
originated from some religious foundation, in times of popery. _Bedman_
occurs in O. E.
V. ~Assoilyie~, sense 3.
The origin is A. S. _bead_, a prayer. Hence, says Verstegan, the
name of _Beads_, "they being made to pray on, and _Beadsman_."
BEDYIT, _part. pa._ Dipped.
_Douglas._
A. S. _deag-an_, tingere.
BEDOYF, _part. pa._ Besmeared, fouled.
_Douglas._
Su. G. _doft_, _dupt_, pulvis; or A. S. _bedof-en_, submersus,
dipped.
BEDOWIN, _part. pa._
_Douglas._
Rudd. expl. _bedowyne_, besmeared, deriving it from Belg.
_bedauwen_, to bedew, or sprinkle.
BEDRAL, _s._ A person who is bedrid.
V. ~Orphelin~.
BEDREL, _adj._ Bedrid, Galloway.
_Douglas._
Corr. perhaps from A. S. _bedrida_, id.; Teut. _bedder_, clinicus,
Germ. _bed-reise_.
BEDUNDER'D, _part. pa._ Stupified, confounded, S. q. having the ear
deafened by noise.
Su. G. _dundr-a_, Belg. _dender-en_, tonare, to thunder.
BEE, _s._ The hollow between the ribs and hip-bone of a horse, S. B.
Perhaps from A. S. _bige_, _byge_, flexus, angulus, sinus; _big-an_,
_byg-ean_, flectere, curvare.
BEE-ALE, _s._ A species of beer, or rather mead, made from the refuse of
honey; S. B. This in Clydes. is called _swats_.
BEE-BREAD, _s._ The substance that goes to the formation of bees, S.
A. S. _beo-bread_ signifies honeycomb.
BE-EAST, Towards the East.
V. ~Be~, _prep._
BEELDE, BELD, _s._ "Properly an image.--Model of perfection or
imitation." Gl. Wynt.
_Wyntown._
A. S. _bilith_, _bild_, Belg. _beeld_, _beld_, Sw. _bild_, imago.
_To_ BEENGE, BYNGE, _v. a._ To cringe, in the way of making much
obeisance, S.
V. ~Beck~.
_Ferguson._
This is undoubtedly from A. S. _bens-ian_, also written _boens-ian_,
to ask as a suppliant; supplicitor petere, orare; _bensiende_,
supplicans.
BEENJIN, improperly written, is expl. "fawning."
_J. Nicol._
BEEVIT, _part. pa._ Perhaps, installed as a knight.
_Gawan and Gol._
A. S. _befeht_, cinctus, girded, Somn.
V. ~Falow~.
_To_ BEFF, BAFF, _v. a._ To beat, to strike, S.
~Beft~, beaten, _pret._ and _part. pa._
_Douglas._
It is used more simply, as referring to the act of beating with strokes;
applied to metal.
_Douglas._
~Doun Beft~ signifies, beat down, overthrown.
BEFF, BAFF, _s._ A stroke.
V. ~Baff~.
BEFORN, _prep._ Before.
_Wallace._
It occurs also in O. E.
_R. Brunne._
A. S. _beforan_, ante; coram.
BEFOROUTH, _adv._ Before, formerly.
V. ~Forowth~.
_Barbour._
BEFT, _part. pa._ Beaten.
V. ~Beff~.
_To_ BEGARIE, _v. a._
1. To variegate, to deck with various colours.
_Lyndsay._
2. To stripe, to variegate with lines of various colours, to streak.
_Begaryit_, striped, _part. pa._
_Douglas._
3. To besmear; to bedaub, to bespatter. "S. _begaried_, bedirted;" Rudd.
vo. ~Laggerit~.
_Lyndsay._
This _v._ has an evident affinity to our _Gair_, _gare_, a stripe
of cloth, and _Gaired_, _gairy_, q. v. The word is immediately allied
to Fr. _begarr-er_, to diversify; _begarré_, of sundry colours, mingled.
BEGAIRIES, _s. pl._ Stripes or slips of cloth sewed on garments, by way
of ornament, such as are now worn in liveries; _pessments_, S. synon.
_Acts Ja. VI._
BEGANE, _part. pa._ Covered; _Gold begane_, overlaid with gold.
_Douglas._
_Aurea tecta_, Virg. According to Rudd. q. _gone over_. Chaucer
uses the phrase, _With gold begon_, Rom. Rose, 943., "painted over with
gold," Tyrwh.
_To_ BEGECK, BEGAIK, BEGEIK, _v. a._ To deceive; particularly by playing
the jilt, S.B.
_Dunbar._
Teut. _gheck-en_, deridere, ludibrio habere.
V. ~Geck~.
BEGEIK, BEGINK, BEGUNK, _s._
1. A trick, or illusion, which exposes one to ridicule, S.
_Ramsay._
2. It often denotes the act of jilting one in love; applied either to a
male, or to a female, S.
~Begeik~ is the more common term, S. B.
_Morison._
BEGES, BEGESS, _adv._ By chance, at random.
_Evergreen._
From _be_, by, and _gess_, guess, Belg. _ghisse_.
BEGGER-BOLTS, _s. pl._ "A sort of darts or missile weapons. The word is
used by James VI. in his Battle of Lepanto, to denote the weapons of the
_forceats_, or galley-slaves." Gl. Sibb. Hudson writes _beggers' bolts_.
The word may have originated from contempt of the persons, who used
these arms, q. _bolts_ of _beggars_.
BEGOUTH, BEGOUDE, _pret._ Began.
_Wyntown._
_Begoud_ is now commonly used, S.
A. S. _gynn-an_, _beginn-an_,
seem to have had their pret. formed like _eode_, from _gan_, ire:
_Beginnan_, _begeode_.
BEGRAUIN, _part. pa._ Buried, interred.
_Douglas._
A. S. _graf-an_, fodere; Teut. _be-gra-ven_, sepelire.
BEGRETTE, _pret._ Saluted.
_Douglas._
A. S. _gret-an_, Belg. _be-groet-en_, salutare.
BEGRUTTEN, _part. pa._ Having the face disfigured with weeping, S.
Sw. _begratande_, bewailing.
V. ~Greit~.
BEGUILE, _s._ A deception, trick, the slip; sometimes a disappointment,
S.
_Ross._
BEGUNKIT, _part. adj._ Cheated, Clydes.
V. ~Begeck~.
_To_ BEHALD, _v. a._
1. To behold, S. _behaud_.
_Wyntown._
2. To have respect to, to view with favour or partiality.
_Douglas._
_Spectat_, Virg. A. S. _beheald-an_.
3. To wait, to delay; q. to look on for a while, S. used both as an
active, and as a neuter verb.
_Ross._
~Behold~ occurs in the same sense.
_Baillie._
BEHAUYNGIS, _s. pl._ Manners, deportment.
_Bellenden._
_Mores_, Boeth.
V. ~Havings~.
_To_ BEHECHT, _v. n._ To promise.
_Douglas._
Chaucer, _behete_, A. S. _behaet-an_, id. R. Glouc. _behet_; R.
Brunne, _be-hette_, promised.
BEHECHT, BEHEST, BEHETE, _s._
1. Promise.
_Bellenden._
2. Engagement, covenant.
_Douglas._
3. Command.
_Douglas._
Chaucer, _beheste_, id.
BEHO, BOHO, _s._ A laughing-stock. "To mak a _boho_" of any thing, to
hold it up to ridicule, S. B.
Alem. _huohe_, ludibrium.
_To_ BEHUFE, _v. n._ To be dependent on.
_Douglas._
A. S. _behof-ian_, Belg. _behoev-en_, to stand in need of, egere,
opus habere.
BEJAN CLASS, a designation given to the Greek class in the Universities
of St Andrew's and Aberdeen; as, till of late, in that of Edinburgh.
Hence, the students in this class are denominated _Bejans_.
Fr. _bejaune_, a novice, an apprentice, a young beginner in any
science, art, or trade. Cotgr. derives _bejaune_ from _bec jaulne_,
literally a yellow beak or bill. Du Cange observes that L. B.
_bejaunus_ signifies a young scholar of any university, and _bejaunium_
the festivity that is held on his arrival. The term is thus very
emphatic, being primarily used in relation to a bird newly hatched,
whose beak is of a deep yellow.
_To_ BEJAN, _v. a._ When a new shearer comes to a harvest-field, he is
initiated by being lifted by the arms and legs, and struck down on a
stone on his buttocks; Fife. This custom has probably had its origin in
some of our universities. It is sometimes called _horsing_.
BEIK, _s._ A hive of bees.
V. ~Byke~.
_To_ BEIK, BEKE, BEEK, _v. a._
1. To bask, S.
_Barbour._
2. To warm, to communicate heat to.
_Ramsay._
3. It is often used in a neuter sense, S.
_Ywaine._
Belg. _baeker-en_ is used in the same sense; _baeker-en een kindt_,
to warm a child. We say, To _beik_ in the sun; so, Belg. _baekeren in
de sonne_. But our word is more immediately allied to the Scandinavian
dialects; Su. G. _bak-a_, to warm.
BEIK, _adj._ Warm.
_Bannatyne Poems._
BEIK, _s._
1. This word primarily signifying the beak or bill of a fowl, is
"sometimes used for a man's mouth, by way of contempt;" Rudd.
_Douglas._
2. It is used, as a cant word, for a person; "an auld _beik_," "a queer
_beik_," &c. S.
Belg. _biek_, Fr. _bec_, rostrum. It may be observed that the
latter is metaph. applied to a person.
V. ~Bejan~.
_To_ BEIL, BEAL, _v. n._
1. To suppurate, S.
_Maitland Poems._
2. To swell or rankle with pain, or remorse; metaph. applied to the
mind, S. B.
_Ross._
_Wodrow._
Belg. _buyl-en_, protuberare? Ihre derives Su. G. _bold_, a boil,
from Isl. _bolg-a_, intumescere.
BEILIN, _s._ A suppuration, S.
BEILD, BIELD, _s._
1. Shelter, refuge, protection, S.
_Gawan and Gol._
"Every man bows to the bush he gets _bield_ frae;" S. Prov. Every
man pays court to him who gives him protection.
2. Support, stay, means of sustenance, S.
_Douglas._
3. A place of shelter; hence, applied to a house, a habitation; S.
_Morison._
A. Bor. _beild_, id.
~Beilding~ also occurs, where it seems doubtful whether buildings or
shelter be meant.
_Gawan and Gol._
Isl. _baele_ denotes both a bed or couch, and a cave, a lurking
place; cubile, spelunca. It is highly probable, that _baele_ is
radically the same with Isl. _boele_, domicilium, habitatio; from
_bo_, to build, to inhabit.
_To_ BEILD, _v. a._
1. To supply, to support.
_Wallace._
2. In one passage it seems to signify, to take refuge; in a neuter
sense.
_Gawan and Gol._
This verb, it would seem, has been formed from the noun, q. v., or
has a common origin with Isl. _bael-a_, used to denote the act of
causing cattle to lie down.
BEILDY, _adj._ Affording shelter.
_Ramsay._
BEILD, _adj._ Bold.
_Houlate._
A. S. _beald_, id. A. S. Alem. _belde_, audacia.
BEILL, _s._ Perhaps, sorrow, care, q. _baill_.
_Bannatyne Poems._
BEIN, _s._ Bone, Ang.
One is said to be _aw frae the bein_, all from the bone, when proud,
elevated, or highly pleased; in allusion, as would seem, to the fleshy
parts rising from the bone, when the body is swollen.
BEIN, BEYNE, _adj._ ~Beinlier~.
V. ~Bene~.
BEIR, BERE, BIR, BIRR, _s._
1. Noise, cry, roar.
_Douglas._
The word is used in this sense by R. Glouc.
2. Force, impetuosity; often as denoting the violence of the wind, S.
_Vir_, _virr_, Aberd.
_Douglas._
O. E. _bire_, _byre_, _birre_. The term, especially as used in the
second sense, seems nearly allied to Isl. _byre_ (tempestas), Su. G.
_boer_, the wind; which seem to acknowledge _byr-ia_, _boer-ia_,
surgere, as their root.
_To_ BEIR, BERE, _v. s._ To roar, to make a noise.
_Wallace._
Teut. _baeren_, _beren_, is expl. by Kilian; Fremere, sublatè et
ferociter clamare more ursorum. The learned writer seems thus to view
it as a derivative from _baere_, _bere_, a bear.
BEIRD, _s._ A bard, a minstrel.
V. ~Baird~.
_Douglas._
BEYRD, _pret._ Laid on a bere.
_Maitland Poems._
From A. S. _baer_, _baere_, feretrum.
BEIRTH, BYRTHE, _s._ Burden, incumbrance, charge; Gl. Sibb.
Dan. _byrde_, _byrth_; Isl. _byrd_; Su. G. _boerd-a_; Belg. _borde_,
A. S. _byrth-in_; from Moes. G. _bair-an_, Su. G. _baer-a_, to bear.
BEIS, _v. s._ Be, is; third p. sing. subj. S.
_Douglas._
Here the second pers. is improperly used for the third. A. S.
_byst_, sis; Alem. Franc. _bist_, es, from _bin_, sum; Wachter, vo.
_Bin_.
BEIS, BEES, One's head is said to be _in the bees_, when one is confused
or stupified with drink or otherwise, S.
_Shirrefs._
Teut. _bies-en_, aestuari, furente impetu agitari; or from the same
origin with _Bazed_, q. v.
BEIST, BEISTYN, _s._ The first milk of a cow after she has calved, S.
_biestings_, E.
A. S. _beost_, _byst_; Teut. _biest_, _biest melck_, id.
(colostrum).
_To_ BEIT, BETE, BEET, _v. a._
1. To help, to supply; to mend, by making addition.
_Henrysone._
_To beit the fire_, or _beit the ingle_. To add fuel to the fire, S.
"_To beet_, to make or feed a fire." Gl. Grose.
_To beit a mister_, to supply a want, Loth.
2. To blow up, to inkindle, applied to the fire.
_Douglas._
3. To bring into a better state, by removing calamity or cause of
sorrow.
_Wallace._
A. S. _bet-an_, _ge-bet-an_, to mend, to restore to the original
state; Belg. _boet-en_; Isl. _bet-a_, Su. G. _boet-a_, id. _boet-a
klaeder_, to repair or mend clothes. A. S. _bet-an fyr_, corresponds
to the S. phrase mentioned above, struere ignem.
~Bett~, _part. pa._ Supplied.
_Wallace._
BEIT, _s._ An addition, a supply, S. B.
V. the _v._
BEITMISTER, _s._ That which is used in a strait, for supplying any
deficiency; applied either to a person or to a thing; Loth.
V. ~Beit~, _v._ and ~Mister~.
_To_ BEKE, _v. a._ To bask.
V. ~Beik~.
BEKEND, _part._ Known; S. B. _bekent_.
_Douglas._
Germ. _bekaunt_, id. Teut. _be-kennen_, to know; A. S. _be-cunnan_,
experiri.
BELCH, BAILCH, BILCH, _s._ (gutt.)
1. A monster.
_Douglas._
2. A term applied to a very lusty person, S. B.
"_A bursen belch_, or _bilch_, one who is breathless from corpulence, q.
burst, like a horse that is broken-winded.
_Ross._
Teut. _balgh_, the belly; or as it is pron. _bailg_, Moray, from Su.
G. _bolg-ia_, _bulg-ia_, to swell.
BELD, _adj._ Bald, without hair on the head, S.
V. ~Bellit~.
_Burns._
Seren. derives it from Isl. _bala_, planities. With fully as much
probability might it be traced to Isl. _bael-a_, vastare, prosternere,
to lay flat.
BELD, _s._ Pattern, model of perfection.
V. ~Beelde~.
BELD, _imperf. v._ Perhaps, took the charge of, or protected.
_Houlate._
Fr. _bail_, a guardian. In this sense it is nearly allied to E.
_bailed_, Fr. _bailler_, to present, to deliver up. As, however, we
have the word _beild_, shelter, protection, _beld_ may possibly belong
to a verb corresponding in sense.
BELD CYTTES, _s. pl._ Bald coots.
_Houlate._
The _bald coot_ receives its name from a _bald_ spot on its head. It
is vulgarly called _bell-kite_, S.
BELDIT, _part. pa._ Imaged, formed.
V. ~Beelde~.
_Houlate._
Belg. _beeld-en_, Germ. _bild-en_, Sw. _bild-a_, formare, imaginari.
A. S. _bild_, _bilith_, Germ. Sw. _bild_, _belaete_, an image.
_To_ BELE, _v. s._ "To burn, to blaze."
_Wyntown._
This, however, may mean, bellowed, roared, from A. S. _bell-an_,
Su. G. _bal-a_, id. Chaucer uses _belle_ in the same sense.
BELE, _s._ A fire, a blaze.
V. ~Bail~.
_To_ BELEIF, _v. a._ To leave; pret. _beleft_.
A. S. _be_ and _leof-an_, linquere.
_Douglas._
_To_ BELEIF, BELEWE, _v. a._ To deliver up.
_Douglas._
It is also used as a _v. n._ with the prep. _of_.
_Barbour._
A. S. _belaew-an_, tradere; _belaewed_, traditus.
BELEFE, _s._ Hope.
_Douglas._
_To_ BELENE, _v. n._ To tarry; or perhaps, to recline, to rest.
_Sir Gawan._
A. S. _bilen-ed_, inhabited.
V. ~Leind~.
Or allied to Germ. _len-en_, recumbere.
BELEWYT, _imperf. v._ Delivered up.
V. ~Beleif~, _v._ 2.
BELGHE, _s._ Eructation, E. _belch_.
_Z. Boyd._
BELYVE, BELIFF, BELIUE, BELIFE, _adv._
1. Immediately, quickly.
_Douglas._
2. By and by, S.
_Barbour._
This seems to be the only modern sense of the term in S.
3. At length.
_Douglas._
4. It is used in a singular sense, S. B. _Litle belive_, or _bilive_, a
small remainder.
_Popular Ball._
Chaucer _belive_, _blive_, quickly; Gower, _blyve_, id. Hickes
mentions Franc. _belibe_, as signifying protinus, confestim; and Junius
refers to Norm. Sax. _bilive_. This is certainly the same word; from
Alem. and Franc. _belib-an_, manere; A. S. _belif-an_, id.
_To_ BELY, _v. a._ To besiege.
_Spotswood._
TO BELL THE CAT, to contend, with one, especially, of superior rank or
power; to withstand him, either by words or actions; to use strong
measures, without regard to consequences, S.
_Godscroft._
Fr. _Mettre la campane au chat_, "to begin a quarrel, to raise a
brabble; we say also, in the same sense, to hang the bell about the
cat's neck." Cotgr.
_To_ BELLER, _v. n._ To bubble up.
_Bp. Galloway._
Isl. _belg-ia_, inflare buccas.
BELL-PENNY, _s._ Money laid up, for paying the expence of one's funeral;
from the ancient use of the passing-bell. This word is still used in
Aberbrothick.
BELL-KITE, _s._ The bald Coot.
V. ~Beld Cyttes~.
BELLAN, _s._ Fight, combat.
_Douglas._
Lat. _bellum_.
BELLE, _s._ Bonfire.
V. ~Bail~.
BELLING, _s._ The state of desiring the female; a term properly applied
to harts.
_Douglas._
Rudd. derives the phrase from Fr. _belier_, a ram; but perhaps it is
rather from Isl. _bael-a_, _bel-ia_, _baul-a_, Germ. _bell-en_, mugire,
boare.
BELLIS, _s. pl._
_Wallace._
BELLIT, _adj._ Bald.
_Fordun._
_Scotichron._
BELLY-BLIND, _s._ The play called Blind-man's buff, S. A.: _Blind
Harie_, synon. S.
Anciently this term denoted the person who was blindfolded in the
game.
_Lyndsay._
In Su. G. this game is called _blind-bock_, i. e. blind goat; and in
Germ. _blinde kuhe_, q. blind cow. It is probable, that the term is the
same with _Billy Blynde_, mentioned in the Tales of Wonder, and said to
be the name of "a familiar spirit, or good genius."
BELLY-FLAUGHT.
1. To _slay_, or _flay_, _belly-flaught_, to bring the skin overhead, as
in flaying a hare, S. B.
_Monroe's Iles._
2. It is used in Loth. and other provinces, in a sense considerably
different; as denoting great eagerness or violence in approaching an
object.
_Ramsay._
3. It is also rendered, "flat forward."
_J. Nicol._
BELLY-HUDDROUN.
V. ~Huddroun~.
BELLY-THRA, _s._ The colic.
_Gl. Complaynt._
A. S. _belg_, belly, and _thra_, affliction. This term, I am
informed, is still used on the Border.
_To_ BELLWAVER, _v. n._
1. To straggle, to stroll, S.
2. To fluctuate, to be inconstant; applied to the mind, S.
I am informed, however, that the pronunciation of the term in some
places in the west of S. is _bullwaver_; and that it is primarily
applied to a _bull_ when going after the cow, and hence transferred to
man, when supposed to be engaged in some amorous pursuit.
The origin of the latter part of the v. is obvious; either from E.
_waver_ or L. B. _wayviare_, to stray. Perhaps the allusion may be to a
ram or other animal, roaming with a _bell_ hung round its neck.
_To_ BELT, _v. a._
1. To gird, S.
Hence, in our old ballads _belted knights_ are often introduced.
2. To gird, metaph. used in relation to the mind.
_Bellenden._
3. To surround, to environ in a hostile manner.
_Bellenden._
Isl. _belt-a_, cingere zona.
_To_ BELT, _v. a._ To flog, to scourge, S.
_To_ BELT, _v. n._ To come forward with a sudden spring, S.
Isl. _bilt-a_, _bilt-ast_, signifies, to tumble headlong.
BELT, _part. pa._ Built.
_Douglas._
BELTANE, BELTEIN, _s._ The name of a sort of festival observed on the
first day of May, O. S.; hence used to denote the term of Whitsunday.
_Peblis to the Play._
This festival is chiefly celebrated by the cow-herds, who assemble
by scores in the fields, to dress a dinner for themselves, of boiled
milk and eggs. These dishes they eat with a sort of cakes baked for the
occasion, and having small lumps in the form of _nipples_, raised all
over the surface. The cake seems to have been an offering to some Deity
in the days of Druidism.--In Ireland, Beltein is celebrated on the 21st
June, at the time of the solstice. There, as they make fires on the
tops of hills, every member of the family is made to pass through the
fire; as they reckon this ceremony necessary to ensure good fortune
through the succeeding year.--The Gael. and Ir. word _Beal-tine_ or
_Beil-tine_ signifies _Bel's Fire_; as composed of _Baal_ or _Belis_,
one of the names of the sun in Gaul, and _tein_ signifying fire. Even in
Angus a spark of fire is called a _tein_ or _teind_.
BELTH, _s._
_Douglas._
This word may denote a whirlpool or rushing of waters. I am
inclined, however, to view it, either as equivalent to _belch_, only
with a change in the termination, _metri causa_; or as signifying,
figure, image, from A. S. _bilith_, Alem. _bilid_, _bileth_, id.
_To_ BEMANG, _v. a._ To hurl, to injure; to overpower, S. B.
_Minstrelsy Border._
_To_ BEME, _v. n._
1. To resound, to make a noise.
_Douglas._
2. To call forth by sound of trumpet.
_Gawan and Gol._
Germ. _bomm-en_, resonare; or A. S. _beam_, _bema_, tuba. It is
evident that beme is radically the same with _bommen_, because Germ.
_bomme_, as well as A. S. _beam_, signifies a trumpet.
BEME, _s._ A trumpet; ~Bemys~, pl.
_Gawan and Gol._
O. E. _beem_, id.
V. the _v._
BEMYNG, _s._ Bumming, buzzing.
_Douglas._
BEN, _adv._
1. Towards the inner apartment of a house; corresponding to ~But~, S.
_Wyntown._
It is also used as a preposition, _Gae ben the house_, Go into the inner
apartment.
A ~But~ _and a_ ~Ben~, S.; i. e. a house containing two rooms.
_Statist. Acc._
2. It is used metaph. to denote intimacy, favour, or honour. Thus it is
said of one, who is admitted to great familiarity with another, who
either is, or wishes to be thought his superior; _He is far ben_. "_O'er
far ben_, too intimate or familiar," Gl. Shirr.
_Lyndsay._
Leg. as in edit. 1670, _far ben_.