▪ I. † ˈbysen, n. Obs. exc. Sc. and north. dial.
Forms: 1 b{yacu}sen, bisine, 1–4 bisen, 2–3 bisne, 3 bisin, 4 bysine, -yne, 5 bysyn (bysynt), 6–7 bysin, 9 bison, byzen, bysen.
[partly OE. b{yacu}sen example; but the later use is exclusively northern, and apparently from the cognate ON. b{yacu}sn wonder, portentous thing. See also bysym.]
I. 1. An example, a pattern.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John xiii. 15 Bisen [Rushw. bisine] forðon ic salde iuh. c 1175 Lamb Hom. 5 Godalmihti..sette us bisne. c 1230 Hali Meid. 45 After þe bisne of þat eadi meiden. a 1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 245 Ure lauerd..teacheð us þurh a bisne. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1027 Þe bodys of þe world..Shewes us for bisens..How we suld serve God. |
II. 2. Something monstrous or portentous; a shocking sight, sorry spectacle, disgraceful thing.
| a 1455 Holland Houlate ix, I am nytherit ane Owll..Bysyn of all birdis that euer body bure. a 1600 Montgomerie Sonn. xxxiv, Fy, lothsome lyfe! Fy, death, that dou not [serve me] Bot quik and dedd a bysin thow must [preserve me]. 1803 R. Anderson Cumberld. Ball. 63 She's a shem and a byzen to aw the heale town. 1874 Waugh Jannock ii. 13 in Lanc. Gloss. (E.D.S.), It'll be a sham an' a bizen, if we cannot find him a menseful of a dinner. |
3. attrib. or as adj. Monstrous, shocking, conspicuously bad or disgraceful.
| c 1375 ? Barbour St. Mathias 29 He sal be a bysyne mane For his ill to al þat spek cane. ― St. Catherine 945, & mak a bysine wyf of þe. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xiii. 59 (Jam.) Eftyre that he wes broucht on bere Til a bysynt best all lyke. 1863 Robson Bards of Tyne 504 A bison sight..The warst that e'er you saw. |
▪ II. † ˈbysen, v. Obs.
[OE. b{yacu}senian, b{yacu}snian, f. b{yacu}sen; see prec. Cf. also ON. b{yacu}sna to portend, bode.]
trans.
1. a. To set an example to; only in OE. b. To afford an example or type of, typify, betoken.
| a 1000 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxiii. §4 Ne bisnode þe nan man, forþam ðe nan ær þe næs. Ibid. xxxix. §11 Ða bis⁓nodon hiora aftergengum. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 111 Pik that cleues quen it is tan, Bisens deling wit wik man, For his sin clefes on god men. Ibid. 124 Water bisenes sin and pliht. |
2. To liken, compare.
| c 1325 Metr. Hom. 37 Mani man mai bisend be Unto the rede. |