▪ I. † bisp, n. Obs.
Also bysp, bissp, bysb.
[A phonetically contracted form of biscop, bishop, in early ME.: cf. mod.Da. bisp with ON. biskup, Sw. biskop; also Pg. bispo.]
= bishop.
| a 1300 Passion Our Lord 76 in O.E. Misc. 39 Þe byspes and þe maystres hi were swiþe wroth. Ibid. 471 Þe bispes of þe Gywes seyden Pilatus to. [Biscop occurs in sing. in this poem.] 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 114 Thurstan sent his sond, tille a bissp [printed bissh] sauuage, Rauf of Orkeney. |
Hence bispriche, -ryche = bishopric.
| a 1300 Shires & Hundr. in O.E. Misc. 145 Þis bispryche wes hwylen two bispriche. [Biscopryche also occurs.] |
▪ II. † bisp, bysp, bysb, v. Obs.
[Cf. prec.]
trans. To bishop, to confirm.
| c 1450 Myrc 158 Do þat they I-bysbede were. Tyl the byschope haue bysbede hyt. |