General
birse
What does birse mean?
Temper, anger or hackles; 'to get one's birse up' is to become angry.
"That comment fair got his birse up."
Origin
Scots 'birse' (a bristle), from Old English 'byrst'; raised bristles signifying anger.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'birse' mean?
In Scots, birse is your temper or anger. To get your birse up is to become angry or riled — the image is of bristles standing on end.
How do you use 'birse' in a sentence?
It usually appears in the phrase 'get one's birse up', as in 'That fair got his birse up', meaning it made him angry.
Where does 'birse' come from?
It comes from the Scots word for a bristle, from Old English 'byrst'. Raised bristles, like on an angry animal, gave it the sense of temper.
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