Middle English Dictionary Entry
bē̆rn n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bē̆rn n.(1) Also beren, berin, beorn, beurn, boern, born, buirn, buyren, burn, bourn, biern, birn, bieren; (late) barn. Early dat. pl. berne, beornen, bornen. |
| Etymology | OE beorn, pl. beornas. Cp. also ME barǒun (var. beron) & barn, which overlap in form and meaning. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A man, male person; also, person, human being; (b) ~ ne best, man nor beast; bernes and brides, men and women; etc.; (c) mate, husband; (d) serving man, servant.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7645 : Nas næuere þe ilke bern [Otho: man] þe auere iboren weoren..þat he nes sone dæd.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8083 : Ælc beorn hæfde..ane þechene.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8123 : Weoren þa bernes i-scængte mid beore, & þa drihliche gumen weoren win drunken.
- a1300 A Mayde Cristes (Jes-O 29)5 : Onoþer soþ lefmon, þat treowest were of alle berne.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in a (Hrl 2253)44 : He is..baldore þen Byrne þat oft þe bor bede.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)857 : William..slept, boute burn in his bour but him-self one.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2128 : Þat barouns, burgeys, & bonde, & alle oþer burnes..wende wiȝtly.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)29 : Into þe lond of betanye, þis buirnes nou wenden.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)1.1 : Seli biern [vrr. beerne, berne] þat noghte is gan In þe rede ofe wicked man.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.67 : Þe boke bereth witnesse to buirnes þat can rede.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)617 : Where wystez þou euer any bourne abate..in hys prayere?
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)516 : He hunttyd..With beryns [Cmb: bernus] full balde.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)103 : Betur miȝhte no burn be þan an oþur.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5240 : Vnnethes bere miȝt a berin a bole on his schuldire.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)153 : The thirde was..A beryne bownn alle in blake, with bedis in his hande.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.235 : Alle þe berdles burnes bayed on him euere.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)747* : A grett horse..In rapes fast for ryfyng of bernes.
b
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)3.256 : Bernes [B: Biernes] and Beestes, Brenne hem al to askes.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.353 : Þere noither buirn ne beste may her briddes rechen.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)80 : Boþe burnez and burdez..laþez hem alle luflyly.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)288 : I schal..fleme out of þe folde al þat flesch werez, Fro þe burne to þe best, fro bryddez to fyschez.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)388 : Boþe burnes & bestes, burdez & childer.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)174 : Beryns [vrr. birnys, burnes] and byrdes are besye the abowte.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1050 : Þare ware rostez full ruyde..Beerynes and bestaile brochede togeders.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4125 : Þare fand þai bernys & bridis.
c
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4285 : I may..house be myn one, Alls a wafull wedowe þat wanttes his beryn.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3741 : Oure bernes bildis noȝt vs by, bot ouir þe bourne wyndis.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)616 : Passe never fro þi povere..Er þou haf biden with þi burne and under boȝe restted.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1405 : Þen servyse bygynnes..Burnes berande þe bredes upon brode skeles.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2089 : Þe burne þat rod hym by Bede his mayster abide.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)432 : A dwerȝ rit him before, His squier as he wore, And ek a well fair berne.
2.
(a) Soldier; esp., a knight; ~ of armes, man-at-arms; breneid ~, a mailed warrior; (b) a nobleman, a lord; -- often equated with baroun baron.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5005 : Alle his burnes [Otho: cnihtes] duden on heore burnen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8474 : Ich wunie inne Kent mid kene mine beornnen [Otho: kempes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23408 : Þa bed he his bod allen his beornen [Otho: cnihtes].
- a1300 Hwi ne serue (Jes-O 29)58 : Heo brutlede him ful breoly, þe beornes þat were bolde.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)246 : Lo! wer riit þe mon þat heiȝte Maximion Wiþ his bernes bolde.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.384 : Balder bern was non in bi.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1087 : Dukes & kniȝtes..& oþer bold burnes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2203 : Bold burnes of armes.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)501 : In þe þikkeste pres, he..brusede burnes.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)16.156 : Ich wolde..wynnen al Fraunce With-oute bruting of burnes [vrr. bernes, buyren, burn].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)825 : To bryng þis buurne wyth blys into halle.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)122 : The beryn [vrr. byrne, burne] brawndeche owte his brande.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1662 : Me angers at Arthure and att his hathell bierns.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)66 : Carrygis comand he knew..grete schipis..ful of breneid bernes.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)78 : Þe Kinge hase armut him in hie, And þo thre buirnes hym bie.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)5805 : Barons vnder stedys fett Lay..Barnys bledand on the bente, There shuldurs on sovnder shorne.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)2 : Lordes and ooþer, Beurnes or bacheleres, þat boldely thenken.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3203 : He mochul..wilnede þeos mæidenes, & seide to is bornen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16922 : Her ich aȝeuen ælche cnihten..& ærerælche eorle & æuerælche beorne [Otho: barun] þat he mæi biwinnen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31826 : Quelen þa eorles, quelen þa beornes, quelen þa þeines, quelen þa sweines.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1423 : xxx busy bernes, barounes ful bolde.
- c1390 NHom.John Bapt.(Vrn)22 : Heroudes made a feste, and calde Princes þer to and bernes balde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5892 : Þe king..sat wit his berns [Frf: berenes] all.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.477 : Al shal be bote on court, and on berne [vr. buyren; B: baroun] be Iustice.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)304 : The burelyche beryn of Bretayne þe lyttyll Counsayles sir Arthure.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)857 : Fyfe hundrethe Of beryns and of burgeys and bachelers noble.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)324 : Þe kyng, With his baronage bolde & buernes full noble.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)984 : Þan blyssez he vnto hys bernes [Ashm: his baronage] & breues þes wordez.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2517 : For A[lex.]..or ony of hys bernes [Ashm: erles], Nates hym-self in ony nede.
3.
In direct address (with varying degrees of respect): man, sir.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)397 : Now blysse, burne, mot þe bytyde.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)142 : Þou, burne, for no brydale art busked in wedez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1071 : Ȝe schal be in yowre bed, burne, at þyn ese.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2322 : Blynne, burne, of þy bur, bede me no mo.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)962 : Whedyre buskes þou, berne?
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4318 : Beryn, fore my benyson, thowe berye ȝone lordys.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)446 : Now of þis bytand brand, berne, will ȝe here.
4.
?As personal name.
Associated quotations
- (1190) in Pipe R.Soc.n.s.125 : Willelmus Bern.
- (c1200) Doc.Ireland in RS 5339 : Wlwrich le boerne.
- (1214) CRR(2) 7227 : Stephanus le Borne.
- (1234) Close R.Hen.III390 : Walterus le Borne.
- (1310) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 1863 : Henricus le Bern.