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

BERYNES, BERYNISS, s. Burial, interment.
Barbour.

A. S. byrignesse, sepultura.

BERY BROUNE, a shade of brown approaching to red.
Gawan. and Gol.

We still say, "as brown as a berry," S. A. S. beria, bacca.

BERLE, s. Beryl, a precious stone.
Houlate.

From this s. Doug. forms the adj. beriall, shining like beryl.

BERLY, adj. Apparently, strong, mighty.
Henrysone.

This word is the same, I suspect, with E. burly, strong. If berly be the ancient word, either from Germ. bar, vir illustris; or from baer, ursus; especially as Su. G. biorn, id. was metaph. used to denote an illustrious personage.

BERN, BERNE, s.
1. A baron.
Wallace.
2. It is often used in a general sense, as denoting a man of rank or authority; or one who has the appearance of rank, although the degree of it be unknown.
Gawan and Gol.
3. A man in general.
Douglas.

A. S. beorne, princeps, homo, Benson; "a prince, a nobleman, a man of honour and dignity," Somner. Bern, as denoting a man, in an honourable sense, may be from A. S. bar, free, or Lat. baro, used by Cicero, as equivalent to a lord or peer of the realm.