a. and sb. Forms: 4–5 bis, 5–6 byce, 6 byse, bysse, bisse, bize, 5–7 bise, 6– bice. [a. F. bis brownish-grey, dark-colored = Pr. bis, It. bigio; of unknown origin: see Diez and Littré. From the combination azur bis dark blue, ‘blew byce,’ vert bis dark green, ‘green bice,’ bice was erroneously transferred in Eng. to blue or green pigments, and the shades of blue or green which they yield.]
† A. adj. Brownish grey, dark grey. Blewebis: dark or dull blue. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 230. At Westmynstere he lis toumbed richely, In a marble bis of him is mad story.
c. 1450. Sloane MS. 73 lf. 201 b. Triste wel þt it is not lapus lazuly, but it is lapis almanie of whiche men maken a blewe bis azure.
B. sb. (also attrib.) 1. Short for blewe bis ‘blue bice’: indicating a shade of blue obtained from smalt, duller or inferior to ultramarine or azure, with which however it was often loosely identified.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, IV. xv. (1554), 116. There is a difference of colours … Twene gold and gold, atwene bis and asure, All is not gold that shineth bright.
1490. Will of Bukwell (Somerset Ho.). Canapie colowrid with goold and bise.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 81 b. Scryueners write with blacke, redde, purple, gren, blewe or byce.
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 1158. The margent was illumyned with golden railles And byse.
1598. Florio, Turchino, blue, azure, watchet, or bisse colour.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Bice … of all bright blues … is the palest in colour.
2. The pigment that yields this color, prepared from smalt; also a green pigment (green bice) made by adding yellow orpiment to smalt.
1548. Hall, Chron., 605. The Florishyng Bise was comparable to the riche ammel.
1573. Art Limming, 4. Grinde azure or bize on a painters stone with clene water.
1634. J. B[ate], Myst. Nature, 132. Colours to be used … blew and greene Bise.
1676. Newton, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men (1841), II. 391. Red and blue powders (as Minium and Bice).
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 347. Bice, a light blue colour prepared from smalt. There is a green bice prepared by mixing some yellow orpiment with smalt.
