Obs. [App. short for *ȝebirde:—OE. ʓebyrd)o ‘birth, lineage’; cf. BIRTH (of which Mätzner and Stratmann treat this as a variant).]
1. Birth; offspring. (ME. instances doubtful.)
[a. 1000. Crist (Gr.), 65. Witʓan cyþdon Cristes ʓebyrd.]
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 158. Þauh þe engel Gabriel hefde his burde [other MSS. burðe] ibocked.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 20281 (Gött.). He þat I bare, þat blisful bird [Cott. brid, Laud breth, Trin. birþe. But see BIRD sb. 1 c.]
2. Family; nation.
[c.. 890. K. Ælfred, Bæda, II. vii. (Bosw.). Of ðære cynelican ʓebyrdo.]
c. 1200. Ormin, 2052. An þatt wass off hire kinn, & all off hire birde. Ibid., 8358. Far till Issraæless land Inntill þin aȝhenn birde.
