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

BY-LYAR, s. A neutral.
Knox.

From the v. To lie by, E.

BIAS, a word used as a mark of the superlative degree; bias bonny, very handsome; bias hungry, very hungry, Aberd.

BIB, s. A term used to denote the stomach, Ang., borrowed, perhaps, from the use of that small piece of linen, thus denominated, which covers the breast or stomach of a child.

BYBILL, s. A large writing, a scroll so extensive that it may be compared to a book.
Detection Q. Mary.

The word occurs in a similar sense in O. E. As used by Chaucer, Tyrwhitt justly renders it "any great book." In the dark ages, when books were scarce, those, which would be most frequently mentioned, would doubtless be the Bible and Breviary. Or, this use of the word may be immediately from L. B. biblus, a book, (Gr. βιβλος), which occurs in this sense from the reign of Charlemagne downwards.

BICHMAN, s. Perhaps, for buthman, q. boothman, one who sells goods in a booth.
Dunbar.

In edit. 1508, it is buthman.

BYCHT.
V. [Lycht].
Houlate.

BICK, s. A bitch; "the female of the canine kind," S.