BERTHINSEK, BIRDINSEK, BURDINSECK. _The law of Berthinsek_, a law, according to which no man was to be punished capitally for stealing a calf, sheep, or so much meat as he could carry on his back in a sack.
A. S. _ge-burthyn in saeca_, a burden in a sack; or from _ge-beor-a_, portare.
BERTYNIT, BERTNYT, _pret._ and _part. pa._ Struck, battered.
This is evidently the same with ~Brittyn~, q. v.
BESAND, BEISAND, _s._ An ancient piece of cold coin, offered by the French kings at the mass of their consecration at Rheims, and called a _Bysantine_, as the coin of this description was first struck at _Byzantium_ or Constantinople. It is said to have been worth, in French money, fifty pounds _Tournois_.
_To_ BESEIK, _v. a._ To beseech, to entreat.
A. S. _be_ and _sec-an_, to seek; Belg. _ver-soek-en_, to solicit, to entreat; Moes. G. _sok-jan_, to ask, used with respect to prayer.
A. S. _bysi_, Belg. _besigh_, id.; allied perhaps to Teut. _byse_ turbatus, _bijs-en_, violento impetu agitari.
BESYNE, BYSENE, BYSIM, _s._ Expl. "whore, bawd," Gl. Sibb.
2. Torn, tattered; often including the idea of dirtiness, Perths. The latter seems to be an oblique use.
_To_ BESLE, or BEZLE, _v. n._ To talk much at random, to talk inconsiderately and boldly on a subject that one is ignorant of, Ang.
Belg. _beuzel-en_, to trifle, to fable; Teut. _beusel-en_, nugari.
BESMOTTRIT, _part. pa._ Bespattered, fouled.
A. S. _besmyt-an_, maculare, inquinare; Belg. _besmodder-en_, Germ. _schmader-n_, _schmatter-n_, to stain, S. to _smadd_, Su. G. _smitt-a_.
BEST, _part. pa._ Perhaps, fluttering, or shaken.
BEST, _s._ "Beast, any animal not human," Gl. Wynt.
The term is still used in this general sense, S. pronounced q. _baist_. S. B.
BEST-MAN, _s._ Brideman; as _best-maid_ is bride-maid; from having the _principal_ offices in waiting on the bride, S.
BESTIAL, (_off Tre_) _s._ An engine for a siege.
It seems uncertain, whether this word be formed from Lat. _bestialis_, as at first applied to the engines called _rams_, _sows_, &c., or from Fr. _bastille_, a tower; L. B. _bastillae_.
L. B. _bestialia_, pecudes; Fr. _bestail_.
BESTREIK, _part. pa._ Drawn out; _gold bestreik_, gold wire or twist.
BESTURTED, _part. pa._ Startled, alarmed, afrighted, S.