(Forms: see the verb.) [f. BURY v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of entombing a dead body or anything similarly treated; burial, interment.
1297. R. Glouc., 382. Henry, hys ȝonge sone, was at hys buryng.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 8013. N’uste mon never hethen kyng Have so riche a buryeng.
1388. Wyclif, Jer. xxii. 19. He schal be biried with the biriyng of an asse.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace, xxiv. I schalle … Bringe his bodi to Cristun beriinge.
1608. Shaks., Per., III. ii. 72. Who finds her, give her burying.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Burying alive, was the punishment of a Vestal who had violated her vow of virginity.
1772. Johnson, in Phil. Trans., LXIII. 144. An axe … imports war: the taking it up, being a declaration of war; and the burying it, a token of peace.
Mod. The day after the battle was devoted to the burying of the dead.
† b. concr. A funeral, a burial. Obs. or dial.
1681. E. Murphy, State Irel., § 31. He … tarried a while in the … place ere the Burying came.
1750. Wesley, Wks. (1872), II. 192. There being a great burying in the afternoon.
1787. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ode upon O., Wks. 1812, I. 433. Pálls that grace a burying.
2. The action of depositing under ground, covering over with earth or other material; also fig.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 315. The Burying of Bottles of Drink well stopped.
Mod. The burying of his talent by the unprofitable servant.
3. Comb. and Attrib., as burying-bell, -day, -grave; also † burying-light, ? the tapers used at a funeral service; † burying-ticket, ? a funeral card.
1552. in Church Goods of Berks., 8. A *burienge bell, a sakeringe bell.
1602. Return fr. Parnass., III. v. (Arb.), 47. From our first birth, vntil our *burying day.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. iii. 10. What is her *burying graue that is her wombe.
1887. H. R. Haggard, xxxi. Jess, in Cornhill Mag., March, 321. You are likely to meet a *burying party.
1522. Bk. Founder’s Comp., in N. & Q., III. IX. 62. Payd to the Wax Chaundler for the *beryin lycht at Sen Markytts.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 431, ¶ 3. I then nibbled all the red Wax of our last Ball-Tickets, and three weeks after the black Wax from the *Burying-Tickets of the old Gentleman.
