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

BENDER, s. A hard drinker, S.
Ramsay.

BENE, v. subst. Are.
Bellenden.

Chaucer, ben, id. from beon, third p. pl. subj. of the A. S. substantive verb.

BENE is also used for be.
King's Quair.

BENE, BEIN, BEYNE, BIEN, adj.
1. Wealthy, well-provided, possessing abundance, S.
Henrysone.

This is perhaps the most common sense of the term, S. Thus we say, A bene or bein farmer, a wealthy farmer, one who is in easy, or even in affluent circumstances; a bein laird, &c.

2. Warm, genial. In this sense it is applied to a fire, S.
Douglas.
3. Pleasant.
Douglas.
4. Happy, blissful, S.
Ferguson.
5. Splendid, showy.
Wallace.
6. Good, excellent in its kind.
Dunbar.
7. Eager, new-fangled. People are said to be bein upon any thing that they are very fond of, Loth. In this sense bayne occurs in O. E.

Isl. bein-a signifies to prosper, to give success to any undertaking. Bein, as allied to this, signifies hospitable; beine, hospitality, hospitis advenae exhibita beneficentia. G. Andr. mentions the v. beina, as signifying, hospitii beneficia praestare. Beini, hospitality, liberality.

BENELY, BEINLY, adv. In the possession of fulness, S.
L. Scotland's Lament.

BENE, adv. Well; full bene, full well.
Douglas.