† birde Obs.
[App. short for *ȝebirde:—OE. ᵹebyrd(o ‘birth, lineage’; cf. birth (of which Mätzner and Stratmann treat this as a variant).]
1. Birth; offspring. (ME. instances doubtful.)
| [a 1000 Crist (Gr.) 65 Witᵹan cyþdon Cristes ᵹebyrd.] a 1225 Ancr. R. 158 Þauh þe engel Gabriel hefde his burde [other MSS. burðe] ibocked. a 1300 Cursor M. 20281 (Gött.) He þat I bare, þat blisful bird [Cott. brid, Laud breth, Trin. birþe. But see bird n. 1 c.] |
2. Family; nation.
| [c 890 K. ælfred Bæda ii. vii. (Bosw.), Of ðære cynelican ᵹebyrdo.] c 1200 Ormin 2052 An þatt wass off hire kinn, & all off hire birde. Ibid. 8358 Far till Issraæless land Inntill þin aȝhenn birde. |