An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language / in which the words are explained in their different senses, authorized by the names of the writers by whom they are used, or the titles of the works in which they occur, and deduced from their originals

by John Jamieson

It is used more simply, as referring to the act of beating with strokes; applied to metal.
Douglas.

Doun Beft signifies, beat down, overthrown.

BEFF, BAFF, s. A stroke.
V. [Baff].

BEFORN, prep. Before.
Wallace.
It occurs also in O. E.
R. Brunne.

A. S. beforan, ante; coram.

BEFOROUTH, adv. Before, formerly.
V. Forowth.
Barbour.

BEFT, part. pa. Beaten.
V. [Beff].

To BEGARIE, v. a.
1. To variegate, to deck with various colours.
Lyndsay.
2. To stripe, to variegate with lines of various colours, to streak. Begaryit, striped, part. pa.
Douglas.
3. To besmear; to bedaub, to bespatter. "S. begaried, bedirted;" Rudd. vo. [Laggerit].
Lyndsay.

This v. has an evident affinity to our [Gair], gare, a stripe of cloth, and [Gaired, gairy], q. v. The word is immediately allied to Fr. begarr-er, to diversify; begarré, of sundry colours, mingled.

BEGAIRIES, s. pl. Stripes or slips of cloth sewed on garments, by way of ornament, such as are now worn in liveries; [pessments], S. synon.
Acts Ja. VI.