Obs. or dial. Forms: 4–6 bere, 5 bare, 5–7 bear(e, 6 beere, ber, 6–7 beier, 7–8 bier, 4– beer. [ME. bere, cognate w. LG. büre, adopted also in mod.G. as bühre. Of obscure origin; Grimm’s derivation from OHG. burjan, burren to raise, is not satisfactory.] A case or covering for a pillow. Usually PILLOW-BERE. q.v.

1

1369.  Chaucer, Bk. Duchesse, 254. Many a pillow and every bere, Of cloth of Raines to slepe on soft.

2

1494.  Ord. R. Househ., 125. Every pillow two bares of raynes For every pillow two beares.

3

1522.  Bury Wills (1850), 116. I beqwethe to Fraunces Wrethe … ij pelows wt the berys.

4

1641.  Chron. Pret. Snatheuse, in Jrnl. Statist. Soc. (1858). 7 linen pillow bears, 8s.

5

1713.  Lond. & Country Brew., I. (1742), 36. A Bag, like a Pillow-bear.

6

1850.  Hood, Poems (1864), 269. Right beautiful the dewy meads appear … What then,—if I prefer my pillow-beer?

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