(a) A song, melody; also, tune, the setting of a song; kinges ~ [see king 1b. (h)]; (b) music; vocal or instrumental music, singing or playing; (c) the song of a bird, bird song; the characteristic sound of a lark, nightingale, swan, etc.; also, the humming of bees; (d) crien bi (with) ~, to cry out in unison, protest loudly; don (kepen, seien)..bi ~, intone or sing (the Office for the Dead, the Mass); singen..bi (with) ~, chant or sing (hymns, the Divine Office); also fig. of birds: maken (singen)..service bi ~ [see also bi prep. 8a. (a)]; withouten ~, without music; (e) the human voice; the musical qualities of the voice; (f) the words or theme of a song.

(a) One of a series of musical tones, a note; also, an interval [quot.: Alph.Tales]; draught notes [see draught 12. (b)]; smal notes, notes of brief duration; (b) a representation of a note in musical notation; also, a written letter of the alphabet; (c) an ecclesiastical mode; (d) ?a musical instrument.

(a) Notice, attention; (b) reputation, fame; wel bi ~ to, well-known to (sb.).

(a) The gist or substance of a letter; (b) law notes of fines, a written summary of the main points of a legal settlement [cp. fin n.(2) 5. (a)].

(a) Phil. A distinctive feature or quality, characteristic; an abstract token or indication of essential form; a sense impression; (b) designation, name; (c) a point, degree.