birle

See also: birlé

English

Alternative forms

• birl, byrl

Etymology

From Middle English birlen, from Old English byrelian (“to give or serve a drink to”), from byrele (“cup-bearer, 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

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.

Anagrams

• Erbil, Liber., liber, libre

Spanish

Verb

birle

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