Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†BIER-RIGHT, n. The passing of possible guilty persons before the bier of a murdered man. Given as obs. in N.E.D. and only example a Sc. one.Sc. 1828 Scott F. M. Perth xxi.:
The challengers offered to prove their assertion by an appeal to the ordeal of bier-right.