An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language - LightNovelsOnl.com
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_Birl_ seems to be a dimin. from the v. _Birr_, used in the same sense, formed by means of the letter _l_, a common note of diminution.
BIRS, BIRSE, BYRSS, BIRSSIS, _s._
1. A bristle, "a sow's _birse_," the bristle of a sow, S.
_Evergreen._
2. Metaph. for the beard.
_Knox._
3. Metaph. for the indication of rage or displeasure. "To set up one's _birss_," to put one in a rage. The _birse_ is also said to _rise_, when one's temper becomes warm, in allusion to animals fenced with bristles, that defend themselves, or express their rage in this way, S.
_Course of Conformitie._
A. S. _byrst_, Germ. _borst_, _burst_, Su. G. _borst_, id. Ihre derives it from _burr_, a thistle. Sw. _saettia up borsten_, to put one in a rage; _borsta sig_, to give one's self airs, E. to bristle up.
~Birssy~, _adj._
1. Having bristles, rough, S.
_Douglas._
2. Hot-tempered, easily irritated, S.
3. Keen, sharp; applied to the weather. "A _birssy_ day," a cold bleak day, S. B.
_To_ BIRSE, BIRZE, BRIZE, _v. a._
1. To bruise, S.
_Watson._
_Palice of Honour._
_Brise_ is common in O. E.
2. To push or drive; _to birse in_, to push in, S.
_s.h.i.+rrefs._
A. S. _brys-an_, Belg. _brys-en_; Ir. _bris-im_; Fr. _bris-er_, id.
BIRSE, BRIZE, _s._ A bruise, S.
_To_ BIRSLE, BIRSTLE, BRISSLE, _v. a._
1. To burn slightly, to broil, to parch by means of fire; as, _to birsle pease_, S.
_Douglas._
2. To scorch; referring to the heat of the sun, S.
_Douglas._
3. To warm at a lively fire, S. A. Bor. _brusle_, id.
Su. G. _brasa_, a lively fire; whence Isl. _brys_, ardent heat, and _bryss-a_, to act with fervour, _ec breiske_, torreo, aduro; A. S.
_brastl_, glowing, _brastlian_, to burn, to make a crackling noise.
BIRSLE, BRISSLE, _s._ A hasty toasting or scorching, S.
BIRTH, BYRTH, _s._ Size, bulk, burden.
V. ~Burding~.
_Douglas._
Isl. _byrd_, _byrth-ur_, _byrth-i_, Dan. _byrde_, Su. G. _boerd_, burden; whence _byrding_, navis oneraria. The origin is Isl. _ber-a_, Su. G. _baer-a_, A. S. _ber-an_, _byr-an_, portare.
BIRTH, _s._ A current in the sea, caused by a furious tide, but taking a different course from it, Orkn. Caithn.
_Statist. Acc._
Isl. _byrdia_, currere, festinare, Verel.; as apparently signifying a strong _current_.
BY-RUNIS, _s. pl._ Arrears.
_Skene._
This is formed like ~By-ganes~, q. v.
BYRUNNING, _part. pr._ Waved.
_Douglas._
Moes. G. _birinn-an_, percurrere.
