birle

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: birlé

English

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle English birlen, from Old English byrelian (to give or serve a drink to), from byrele (cupbearer, steward, butler), from Proto-Germanic *burilijaz (carrier, manservant), from *burjô (descendant, son), from *beraną (to bear, carry). Related to Old English byre (son, offspring, youth). More at bear.

Verb

[edit]

birle (third-person singular simple present birles, present participle birling, simple past and past participle birled)

  1. (Scotland, obsolete) To pour a drink (for).
    • c.1882-1898, Francis James Child (collector and editor), Child's Ballads, Number 68: "Young Hunting",
      She has birld in him Young Hunting / The good ale and the beer, / Till he was as fou drunken / As any wild-wood steer.
  2. (Scotland, obsolete) To drink deeply or excessively; carouse.
    • c.1882-1898, Francis James Child (collector and editor), Child's Ballads, Number 73: "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet",
      They birled, they birled at Annies[sic] wake / The white bread and the wine, / And ere the morn at that same time / At his they birled the same.

Derived terms

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]

Spanish

[edit]

Verb

[edit]

birle

  1. inflection of birlar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative