A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1605
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Birl, Byrl, v. Also: birll, byrll. [ME. birle, byrle, ONhb. birliᵹa, OE. byrelian, f. byrele cup-bearer.]
1. tr. To pour out for drinking. Also with on or upon (= to) a person. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1053.
Scho … on ald Ysak birlit the wyne 1513 Doug. i. iv. 67; 1513 Ib. iii. v. 138, etc.
The wyne tharwith, … To thame he byrlis and skynkis fast 1533 Boece viii. ix. 269.
Hengist gaif his besy cure … that the nobill wyne largelie apoun the king suld be birllit 1558 Protocol Book of Sir Alexander Gaw 45.
Thai birlit vyn on him … , quhil he ves ful of vyn and ves drunkin c1590 J. Stewart 235 § 143.
Foull Glottonie … Did birll the vyyne upon me
2. intr. To drink or carouse. Const. at (the wine, etc.) a1585 Polwart Flyting 178.
Thou was begotten … At banket birland at the beir a1605 Montg. Son. lxvi. 11.
To heir hou ȝe … Birlis at the wyne
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Birl v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/birl>
