Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bere, Beir, n.⁴ Also: beire, beyr(e, beere, bear(e. [ME. beer(e, bere (early bære), ONhb. bér, (WS. bǽr).] A bier.Frequently in the phrase brocht on bere.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 508.
The twa emperouris … That haly cors … Tuk vpe, & lad one bere in hy c1420 Wynt. vi. 1154.
Efftyre that he wes broucht on bere 1531 Bell. Boece II. 98.
Thay fand … thre beris, with thre bodyis 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 405.
Quhat nobyll men bene brocht vpon thair beris! 1563 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 43.
It is ordainit that a beere be made in every paroch to carrie the dead corpes to buriall(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 1214.
This was eftyre fyve hundyre yeire That Schir Trajane was broucht on beire 1461 Liber Plusc. 386.
We haue bot bale will [B. till] we be brocht on beire a1500 Seven S. 805.
Wald god I had bene borne on beire That day till erd that I come heire 1513 Doug. iii. i. 116.
To Polidorus vp a beyr We erekkit 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII. 142.
Deliverit to David Hay, Sumptourman, to be ane cover to the beir, … vj elnis Franche blak a1568 Bann. MS. 48 b/6.
Kingis and lordis sall haif no mair Fra tyme that thay be bund on beir a1578 Pitsc. I. 9/14.
All his trew lordis and he var brocht in beir Be his awin vilfull mesgovernance 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 6.
Dischairging the … leying of the beir and mortcloths on the graves of deceasit persons(c) c1590 Fowler 368.
O sing my deargy hear, And bringe my beare! 1628 Elgin Rec. II. 203.
Ten merkis for making ane bear to the pur folkis