birle

See also birlé

English

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 Proto-Germanic *beraną (“to bear, carry”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-, *bʰrē- (“to bear”). Related to Old English byre (“son, offspring, youth”). More at bear.

Alternative forms

• birl

Verb

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

1. 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. 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 wake / The white bread and the wine, / And ere the morn at that same time / At his they birled the same.

Anagrams

• libre

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Spanish

Verb

birle (infinitive birlar)

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of birlar.
2. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of birlar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of birlar.