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.
Quotation dates: <1375, 1375-1650
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Berd(e, Beird, n. Also: beyrd, beard, baird. [ME. berde, berd (beerd), OE. beard.] A beard. Also attrib. with brush.(a) 1366 Rotuli Sc. 902/2.]
[Johannes Spadeberde de Scotia mercator a1400 Legends of the Saints ix. 218.
Thare-with a syd berd it had c1420 Wynt. i. 704.
Borne thai ar qwhyt … of hewyd and berde c1420 Ib. v. 1068.
To schawe thare berde, and were tonsoure 1456 Hay II. 7/3.
The worthy anciene knycht … with a lang berde a1500 Henr. III. 115/26.
Schakand bis berd, he said [etc.] 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II. 314.
Quhen scho and hir dochter … clippit the kingis berd 1513 Doug. ii. v. 51.
His fax and berd was fadyt 1513 Ib. viii. Prol. 70.
With berdis as beggaris c1550 Rolland Court of Venus iv. 667.
Ȝone fell freik … With the quhite berd 1591-2 Rob Stene 10.
Thy bludy berd bewrayis thy slicht 1650 Lanark Presb. 80.
That shee had … a berd(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. vii.
With tendir downis rising on his beird 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 15/18.
Or i hed ane beyrde, … ande nou, quhen my beyrd is be cum quhyt 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 24.
The said man haid … ane dosk beyrd 1571 Inverness B. Rec. I. 208.
Katte Hendre … raiff my face, my beyrd, and my sark 1631 Peebles B. Rec. 417.
Ane auld wyfe with ane beird(c) 15.. Sym & Broder 16.
Sen thair bairdis grew on thair mow a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxviii. 148.
We have hard sing … of his auld baird gray 1591 Criminal Trials I. ii. 246.
The Dewill … with ane blak baird stikand out lyke ane gettis baird 1593 Acts IV. 43/1.
Thevis … disagysit with fals bairdis 1597 Bk. Rates 3.
Birsis or lytill spungis for bairdis 1643 Edinburgh Testaments LX. 233.
Fower silver baird brushes 1643 Ib. 234 b.
Fower scoir auchtene baird brushes
b. In the berd, in the teeth. Maugre (his) berd, in spite of (his) teeth. a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 3469.
If that we met them scharply in the berd 1513 Doug. v. i. 35.
The wynd is contrar, … Hard in our berd vpblawand 1638 Baillie I. 90.
Mr George Gillespie … is now admitted to the kirk of Weems, maugre St Andrewes baird
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"Berd n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/berde>
