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: 1399-1633
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Bering, Beiring, vbl. n. Also: beryng (beryn), berring, -yng, bareyne, barying, beireing, beirring, -eing, beyring, bearing. [ME. bering. -yng. f. Bere v.1]
1. Bearing of children; birth. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 498.
For the tyme of his beryng [= his birthday] c1420 Wynt. iii. 507.
His mudyr at hys beryng Deyd 1490 Irland Mir. I. 144/10.
In beryn of hir child 1614 Criminal Trials III. 270.
The bairne deit schortlie efter the beiring
2. Bearing, carrying, conveying. Also fig. 1443 Highland P. II. 179.
In the beryng of the lioun in thair armys 1486 Exchequer Rolls X. 100.
For the uphalding and bering of the … chargis of the said office 1490 Lanark B. Rec. 7.
For beryn of the dragon and mendyn of it, viij d. 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 277.
For bering of tymmer and ledderis to the well 1553–4 Ib. 286.
For beirreing of red fra the well 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 299.
For barying of tymmer hame 1558-66 Knox II. 78.
All rememberance of beiring of armour 1579 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 103.
Actis … anent bering … of culuering and daggis
b. Bering with, toleration. 1573 Davidson Satirical Poems xl. 338.
Let vice ay in the awin cullouris be kend, But beiring with, or ȝit extenuatioun
3. Conduct, behaviour. Usually gude bering.Of his gude bering, during good conduct. 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 116.
That thai wald … ressayf the sayd frer John of his gud berryng to the plas 1476 Acts Lords Auditors 45/2.
Betereche … has … gevin to him of his gud bering … the twa part of the manis of Inchtuthill a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 79.
[That] thus throu his gud beryng He wyn thair luf 1527 Lennox Mun. 228.
I wyll gif hir this … for a ȝer and fardare … of hir gude bering 1534 Wemyss Corr. III. 3.
Als weil in vncurtas bering … as be his awin vnrychtfulnes 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 219/22.
His name and gude beiring … war schawin to the King
4. Attrib. with creil, scheit, sey (sieve), swerd. 1474 Treasurer's Accounts I. 26.
For the covering of the litil bering swerd 1506 Ib. III. 48.
For xxiiij elne Bertane claith to be bering scheitis 1589 St. A. Test. II. 111.
Ane bearing sey with ane turnmell 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 565.
Foure new beiring creillis 1596 Edinburgh Testaments XXIX. 321 b.
Tua canues with ane beiring scheit 1633 Master of Works Accounts XXV. 3 b.
For ane dussoun of beiring creills
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"Bering vbl. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 21 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bering>
