† beˈlirt, v. Obs.
[OE. belyrtan; f. be- 2 + *lyrtan cogn. w. MHG. lürzen ‘to deceive,’ pointing to a WGer. *lurtjan, of uncertain derivation; related perh. to MHG. lerz, lurz ‘left, lefthand,’ or perh. to ON. lortr ‘filth, ordure’; cf. also the Romanic words treated by Diez under lordo.]
trans. To deceive, cheat, befool.
| c 950 Lindisf. Matt. ii. 16 Ða Herodes..bisuicen vel bi⁓lyrtet wæs from dryum. c 1220 Bestiary 403 in O.E. Misc. 13 Forto bilirten fuȝeles. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 316 Ic, and eue hise wif, sulen adam bilirten of hise lif. c 1400 Destr. Troy iii. 715 Þat such a lady belirt with þi lechur dedes. |