▪ I. † birle, n. Obs.
Also 1 byrele, byrle, 2–3 birle, 3 borle, (Orm.) birrle.
[OE. byrele, byrle, str. masc., of uncertain etymology (perh. for earlier byrel:—OTeut. type *burilo-z, f. beran to bear). The ON. byrli ‘cupbearer,’ byrla ‘to pour out,’ were prob. adopted from OE.]
One who pours out drink; a cupbearer, butler.
| a 1000 Beowulf 2327 Byrelas sealdon win of wunder-fatum. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xl. 20 Þæra byrla ealdor. c 1200 Ormin 14053 Acc wel þe birrless wisstenn. c 1205 Lay. 24604 Beduer, þas kinges hæȝe birle [c 1250 borle, and so always]. |
▪ II. birle, v. Obs. except dial.
(bɜːl)
Forms: 1 byrlian, 3 (Orm.) birrlenn, 3–4 birlen, 5 bryllyn, 5–6 byrle, 6 birll, 8 birle (9 dial. burl), 6– birl.
[OE. byrelian, f. byrele: see prec.]
1. To draw or pour out (drink, to or for any one).
| a 1000 Guthlac (Gr.) 840 Þone bitran drync, þone Ewe fyrn Adame ᵹeaf, byrelade bryd ᵹeong. c 1200 Ormin 15396 Þuss birrleþþ defell & hiss þeww Aȝȝ werrse & werrse drinnchess. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 43 Þei drinke..and birlen it to oþere men. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 292 Sche byrlyd whyt wyne and rede. c 1510 Skelton Elynour Rum. 268 Dame Elynour entrete To byrle them of the best. 1548 Hall Chron. (1809) 605 Bacchus birlyng the wyne which by the Conduytes in therth ranne to all people. 1851 N. & Q. Ser. i. III. 204/2 ‘Told me to burl out the beer..and I burled out a glass and gave it to him.’ 1875 Lanc. Gloss. (E.D.S.) 40 ‘Birl out th' beer.’ |
2. To supply or ply with drink.
| a 1225 Anc. R. 226 He þeonne mid tet, birleð him ilome. a 1325 Metr. Hom. (1863) 121 Than birles he thaim wit waikere [win]. a 1800 Earl Richard iii. in Scott Minstr., She birled him wi' the ale and wine. |
3. intr. To carouse; trans. to drink and pass (the cup). (A modern pseudo-archaism.)
| a 1800 Ballad Sir P. Spens i, Hie sits oor king in Dumfermline, Sits birlin at the wine. 1816 Scott Old Mort. x, Birling the brown bowl wi' the fowler and the falconer. 1818 ― Rob Roy xiv, The twa loons that did the deed birling and drinking wi' him. |