a north-country word: it certainly is common in Yorkshire, and probably elsewhere.

Kyng Wyllam bypozte hym ek of þe volc þat was verlore.

Vor hii bypenchep hem ywys

Hou hii myşte best fle.

In Wiclif it is used intransitively :

Rob. of Glouc. 368.

Ibid. 458.

Therfore if thou offrist thi zift at the auter, and there shalt bythenke that thi brother hath sum what azeins thee, leeue there thi zift before the auter. Wiclif (1), Matt. v. 23.

Betimes, adv. Early, in good time. It occurs several times in our translation (Gen. xxvi. 31; 2 Chr. xxxvi. 15, &c.), but has no corresponding word in the original; the idea of early is included, however, in the two roots which it helps to render, viz. shakhar, 'to seek early,' and shacam, 'to rise early.'

Shakespeare uses betime in the same sense. The etymology seems to be 'by time, i. e. good time;' thus,

By tyme ychabbe ypozte. Rob. of Glouc. p. 312.

If he bi tyme had gon. Rob. Brunne, p. 264.

If men be so negligent that they descharge it nought by tyme. Chaucer, Parson's Tale.

Bettered, pp. (Mark v. 26). Made better. The word is antiquated though not obsolete. It is from A.-S. bétrian or béterian.

Christe on euery side fensing those that are his, turneth the deiuelishe attemptates of the others, to the profiting and bettering of the porcion that is vncorrupted. Udal's Erasmus, Luke, f. 65 r.

The works of nature do always aim at that which cannot be bettered. Hooker, Eccl. Pol.

Left solely heir to all his lands and goods
Which I have bettered rather than decreased.

Shakespeare, Tam. of Shrew, II. I.

He is furnished with my opinion: which, bettered with his own learning (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend), comes with him. Id. Mer. of Ven. IV. I.

Bewray, v.t. (Prov. xxvii. 16; xxix. 24; Is. xvi. 3; Matt. xxvi. 73). From A. S. wrégan or wreian to accuse; connected with Goth. vrohjan and G. rügen. To accuse, hence, to point out, discover; sometimes used synonymously with betray, though the idea of treachery involved in the latter is not implied in bewray. In the above passages the original words are respectively proclaim, tell, discover, and make evident, which are each of them sufficiently well expressed by bewray.

Bewreye not your council to no person.

Chaucer, Tale of Melibeus.

And when the fortune is bewreved
How that constance is come about.

Gower, Conf. Am. 1. p. 210.

The boylyng smoke did styl bewray
The persant heate of secrete flame.

Surrey, Son. 3.

Here comes the queen whose looks bewray her anger.
Shakespeare, 3 Hen. VI. 1. 1.

In the following passage from Hall (Rich. III. fol. 16 a), bewray and betray are used interchangeably:

Whether thys Banaster bewrayed the duke more for feare the covetous many men do doubt: but sure it is, that shortly after he had betrayed yo duke his maister, his sonne and heyre waxed mad.

The simple wreye, or wraie, is used in Chaucer in the

same sense,

Thou schalt upon thy trouthe swere me heere,
That to no wight thou schalt this counsel wreye.
Miller's Tale, 3502.

Bewrayer, sb. (2 Macc. iv. 1). An informer. Baret, (Alvearie, s. v.) gives, A bewrayer or discoverer. Index.'

Bibber, sb. (Prov. xxiii. 20; Matt. xi. 19; Luke vii. 34). A drinker, in the compound 'wine-bibber,' from the Lat. bibere to drink.

For hee was thought to be a greater bibber then he was, because he sate long at the bourd, rather to talke then drinke. North's Plutarch, Alex. p. 729.

Chaucer uses the verb 'bib:'

This meller hath so wysly bibbed ale,

That as an hors he snortith in his sleep.

Reeve's Tale, 4160.

Bidden, pp. 1. Asked, invited (1 Sam. ix. 13; Matt. xxii. 3, 4, 9, &c.); A. S. beden.

And he sente his seruantis for to clepe men beden to the weddyngis and thei wolden nat cume. Wiclif (1), Matt. xxii. 3.

Some were of opinion that Socrates began it, who perswaded Aristodemus upon a time, being not bidden to goe with him to a feast at Agathons house, where there fell out a pretie jest and a ridiculous. Holland's Plutarch, Morals, p. 753.

2. Commanded, ordered (2 Sam. xvi. 11; Matt. i. 24). If he will not stand when he is bidden, he is none of the prince's subjects. Shakespeare, Much Ado, III. 3.

Bide, v.t. (Wisd. viii. 12). To abide, await; A. S. bidan.

Well, sir, for want of other idleness I'll bide your proof. Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, 1. 5.

Bile, sb. (Lev. xiii. 18, 20). A boil; in the ed. of 1611. See the quotation from Cotgrave's Fr. Dict. under Вотон.

Laid to as a cerot with pitch, it resolueth pushes and biles. Holland's Pliny, XX. 13. 15 m.). A Hebraism.

Bitternesses, sb. (Lam. iii.

A. S. blægen, a boil,

Blain, sb. (Exod. ix. 9, 10). blister. The word is commonly used in the West Riding

to denote a large pustule or boil.

The Lazare man beeyng full of botches and blaines. Udal's Erasmus, Luke, fol. 138 r.

Myne old sores do breake out agayn,
And are corrupt and putrefie,

Bycause the daungier of the blayne

My folyshnes could not espie.

Croke's Vers. of Ps. xxxviii.

God doth neuer leaue his ordinarye meanes vnoccupied and vnprouided, whereby the vlcers and blaines of man's corrupt minde may be cured and healed. Poore Man's Garden (1573). Itches, blains,

Sow all the Athenian bosoms!

Shakespeare, Tim. of Ath. IV. I.

Blasting, sb. (Deut. xxviii. 22; 1 Kin. viii. 37; Am.

iv. 9). Blight.

A severall kind of blasting or mortification there is besides in vines, after they have done blooming.

Holland's Pliny, XVII. 24.

Blaze, v.t. (Mark i. 45). To spread far and wide: A. S. blæsan to blow; whence blast. The more usual form is blazon.

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Where thou shalt live, till we can find a time

To blaze your marriage.

Shakespeare, Jul. Cæs. II. 2.

Id. Rom. and Jul. III. 3.

Spenser uses the substantive 'blazer.'

Bablers of folly, and blazers of cryme.

F. Q. II. 9. § 25.

'Blow,' occurs in the same sense in Latimer (Serm. p. 153);

It shall be blown abroad to our holy father of Rome's ears. And 'blast' is found in Hall;

Which thynge yf it had bene trewe as it was not in dede,

euery good and naturall child would haue rather mummed at, then to haue blasted a broade and especially she beyng alyue. Rich. III. fol. 86.

Blood-guiltiness, sb. (Ps. li. 14). The guilt of

murder or bloodshed.

Ne wote I, but thou didst these goods bereaue
From rightfull owner by vnrighteous lot,

Or that blood guiltinesse or guile them blot.

Spenser, F. Q. II. 7. § 19.

Blood-shedding, sb. (Ecclus. xxvii. 15). Shedding of blood.

They be the enemies of the cross of Christ, of his passion and bloodshedding. Latimer, Serm p. 520.

Bloom, v.t. (Num. xvii. 8). A. S. blowian and blosmian; G. blühen. As an intransitive verb 'bloom' is sufficiently common, but instances of its usage in an active sense are less frequent. Johnson quotes from Hooker, Charitable affection bloomed them; and Milton (P. L. IV. 219) has

And all amid them stood the tree of life,
High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit
Of vegetable gold.

Blotted, pp. Aspersed.

To be short, the most learned Emperour of former times, (at the least, the greatest politician) what thanks had he for cutting of the superfluities of the lawes, and digesting them into some order and method? This, that he hath been blotted by some to bee an Epitomist, that is, one that extinguished worthy whole volums, to bring his abridgements into request. The Translators to the Reader.

Blow up, v.t. (Ps. lxxxi. 3). To blow loud; used also intransitively.

Then up blewe the trumpettes, sagbuttes, clarions, and all other minstrelles on bothe sides, and the kynges descended doune towarde the bottome of the valey of Andern. Hall, Hen. VIII. ol. 76 b.