Middle English Dictionary Entry
bir(e n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bir(e n.(1) Also birre, bier, bur(e, burre, ber(e. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI byr-r (acc. sg. byr, acc. pl. byri) favorable wind. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Naut. A wind or breeze, esp. one favorable for sailing; haven ~ at the bak, have a tail wind; abiden the ~, await favorable wind (i.e. circumstances).
Associated quotations
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.10 : Man þat nimith over flode..þol and bide..'Birre haved, þat wele bide mai.'
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24816 : Elsis to scipping son him did; His bir [vr. bur] bleu als he-self wald bidd.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)7 : Quo for þro may noȝt þole, þe þikker he sufferes: Þen is better to abyde þe bur vmbe-stoundes.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)148 : Þe bur ber to hit baft, þat braste alle her gere.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)72 : Ouer wilde wawes he wende..atte laste..Alle was born at a by[r] to Burdewes hauene.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)290 : Þey tyȝten vp tal-sail..Hadde byr at þe bake.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1902 : Antenor..Hade bir at his bake..Sailet furth soundly.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1982 : [They] Were blouen to þe brode se in a bir swithe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4622 : Hokit out of hauyn all the hepe somyn Hade bir at hor bake, blawen to þe depe.
2.
(a) An armed assault or sally; a clash or encounter; (b) a blow or stroke; ?a shock [quot.Pearl]; fetten ~, strike (at sth.); (c) an attack or affliction.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.46.7 : A bure [WB(2): asauȝt] he made aȝen the enmyable folc.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 30.1 : Amalechites maden a bure [WB(2): asauȝt; L impetum] fro the south partie into Sichelech.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11141 : All the bent of þat birr blody beronnen.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.3 : Sangar..with a plogh sokke..sex hundreth slogh..in a birre.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)176 : To calle hyr lyste con me enchace, Bot baysment gef myn hert a brunt..Such a burre myȝt make myn herte blunt.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)290 : I schal bide þe fyrst bur, as bare as I sitte.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2322 : Blynne, burne, of þy bur, bede me no mo!
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)957 : The bore..bygan tothes to wette And to the tre byre he fette.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1244 : A ȝonge knight..suet to þe Duke With a bir on þe brest, þat backeward he ȝode.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)711 : On þe bake with slike a bire he bare with his handis, Þat doune he drafe to.
c
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1952 : Þe deuel..To hir vndoyng..a birr made; he made hir oute of hir witte To gnayste.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3788 : Be takynd, þat his dere brethir Of persecucioun suld haue a bir.
3.
(a) Violence or fury (of the elements); onrush, swiftness; at a ~, instantly; (b) strength (of a person); fecchen, taken ~, gather strength, get set; (c) haste; with bire, in haste.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.5.28 : As the byre [WB(2): feersnesse; L impetus] of tempest.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deut.28.49 : The licnesse of an egle fleynge with bire [WB(1): feersnes; L impetu].
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Heb.11.34 : Þey han slekkyd þe bur of þe fyr [L impetum ignis].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)151/10 : Þas riuers commez with..so grete a birre and wawes, þat na schippe may ga ne saile agayne þam.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3661 : Bessomes with byrre in berynes sailles.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)39/30 : When þay saw þe grete reuer ryne so swiftely and with so a grete a byrre [etc.].
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)292 : The fire..To brene the alle at a birre for thi bale dedis.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)471 : No buerne might ffor the birre it abide, but he brente were.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Jas.3.4 : Shippes..ben born aboute of a litel gouernayle, where the bire [WB(2): meuyng; L impetus] of a man dressinge shal wole.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1158 : I þoȝt þat noþyng myȝt me dere To fech me bur..And to start in þe strem schulde non me stere.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2261 : With alle þe bur in his body he ber hit on lofte.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10906 : Caliborne he hadde in hande; He tok hym byre þe strok teysande.
c
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Judg.5.22 : Enemyes fledden with bire [WB(1): feerse, L impetu].
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)131/27 : Cristyn passed by with grete bire & ȝede into þe chirche.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)34/371 : Into ship with a byr therfor will I hy, ffor drede that I drone here.
4.
Violence of emotion, passion, fury; a fit of rage; an outburst (of grief).
Associated quotations
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)985 : And smate Ihesu o-pon þe cheke; With gret byrr to him he brayd [etc.].
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)1661 : When sir Ywaine gan him se, To him he stirt with bir ful grim.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)7/225 : Turmenturs..Went to him als þai war wode; Þai rugget at him with ful grete bir.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)45.419 : To hire he ran with a ful gret ber and his Caytyve lecherie fulfilde ther.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)652 : Hardy men..bygonnen with bir þe borow to assayle.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2681 : All in sikyng & sorow..Ho brast out, with a birre, from hir bale hert.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)122/6 : She stired with a feersnes & bier and fledde oute of þe cite.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)659 : Garcy yede nere wode for yre And arayed hys batels in þat bere.
5.
?A charge.
Associated quotations
- (1415-16) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.103612 : Item in l bir de debito versus Rad'm Forster, 13 d.