north. arch. Forms: 4 barmeken, (5 barnekynch), 6 barmekyn, -kin, barnekine, 5– barmkin. [Perh. f. Teut. barm (ON. barmr brim, border, edge, wing of castle; cf. BERM). The second syllable may be the dim. suffix -KIN, though the meaning hardly suits. Possibly a corruption of, or confused with, BARBICAN.]
The battlement of the outer fortification of a castle; the outer fortification, or barbican; a turret or watch tower on the outer wall.
c. 1340. Alexander (Stev.), 1301. Balaan in þe barmeken · sa bitterly fiȝtis.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 375. At the barnekynch he abad, And lordelych doune lyght.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VIII. 1067. Fehew him self … Throuch all the fyr can on the barmkyn lycht.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. x. 64. Thame quhilkis on the barmkin heid remanis.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 874/2. Ouerthrew eighteene towers of stone, with all their barnekines.
a. 1811. J. Leyden, Ld. Soulis, v. And he call’d on a page, who was witty and sage, To go to the barmkin high.
