Forms: 4–6 brenne, 6–7 burne, 7– burn, Sc. 6– birn (in sense 2). [f. BURN v.1 The earlier brenne derives from the ME. form brenn-en of the vb.: it took the place of the orig. sb. bryne, brene, BRUNE, q.v.]
1. The act or effect of burning; esp. an injury to the body caused by burning, a burnt place.
[a. 1300. Havelok, 1239. Hwan he … the fir brouth on brenne.]
1594. Plat, Chem. Conclus., 20. It is commended especiallie in a burne.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XX. viii. (R.). [It] healeth any burne or scalding.
1685. Boyle, Med. to Corp. Philos., 116 (J.). ’Tis us’d in Ointments against Burns.
1813. J. Thomson, Inflamm., 137. An external injury, as a blow, a wound, or a burn.
2. A mark made by burning, a brand.
[1523. Fitzherb., Surv., 28 b. If any of these sayde officers fynde any maner of catell hauynge no suche brenne.]
1563. Sc. Acts Mary (1597), § 85. That all bestiall, slane to landwart and Burgh … bring with them in all times cumming their hide, skin, and birne, vnder the paine of confiscation.
1661. Sc. Acts Chas. II., xxxiii. (Jam.). That no barrel be sooner made and blown, but the coupers birn be set thereon.
1703. Lond. Gaz., No. 3947/4. A Burn on the near Shoulder with the Letters R. C.
1820. Scott, Monast., ix. A fat bullock … somewhat kenspeckle, and marked both with cut and birn.
b. ‘Skin and birn, a common phrase, denoting the whole of anything, or of any number of persons and things.’ Jamieson, s.v. Birn. (Cf. quot. 1563 above.)
1718. Ramsay, Christ’s Kirk, III. xv. The smith’s wife … fand him skin and birn.
1806. A. Douglas, Poems, 143 (Jam.). Now a’ thegither, skin an’ birn, They’re round the … table.
c. A branding iron, brand.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 71. When yow marke … dippe in the very bottome of the burne and botte, and then it maketh a cleaner and better impression.
d. attrib.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4179/4. An X burn mark on the near Buttock.
1879. Shropshire Word-bk., Burn-mark, (1) the mark on an animal’s hide made by the brand-iron, obs.; (2) the stamp of the brand-iron on tools and implements.
3. Heat, ‘hot haste,’ velocity. rare.
1835. L. Hunt, Capt. Sword, VI. 75. Lo! the earth went round To the burn of their speed with a golden sound.
