Obs. exc. north. dial. Forms: 3–5 bigg(en, (3 biggenn), 4 big(en. 4–6 byg(e, 5 bygg(en, 4– big, bigg. [ME. biggen, bygge, a. ON. byggja to inhabit, dwell in, build, cognate with OE. búian to dwell, inhabit, cultivate, from same root as BE.]
† 1. trans. To dwell in, inhabit. Obs.
c. 1300. E. E. Psalter xxxvi[i]. 3 (Mätz.). Big þe erþe [Vulg. inhabita terram] and best fede in his riches.
† 2. intr. To dwell; to have an abode. Obs.
c. 1200. Ormin, 12734. Lef maȝȝstre, whære biggesst tu.
1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 359. Biside his broþer to bigge. Ibid., 330. To biggen in pays.
† 3. refl. (and passive). To place or locate oneself, take up one’s position. Obs.
c. 1352. Minot, Poems, vii. (1795), 35. Bigges him right by ȝowre side.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, V. 1598. With barburs bigget in bourders of the stretes.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 2024. Þou hast byggyd þe here among spynys.
4. trans. To build. Still in Sc. and north. dial.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxviii. 36. God … sal … bigge þe cites of Jude.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1666. I haf bigged Babiloyne.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 453. To byg the castell vp agane.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 35. Byggyn, or bildyn, edifico.
1458. Test. Ebor., II. 225. The chapell … bigged and made be the said sir Thomas.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 83. Gif ane man … hes there bigged houses and biggings.
1646. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 12. Down with those crow nests, else the crowes will big in them againe!
1869. Waugh, Lanc. Sk., 205, in Lanc. Gloss. They bigged yon new barn.
1884. U. P. Mag., April, 156. Bigging the fold dyke.
5. transf. and fig. To erect, rear, pile up.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xxvii[i]. 5. In þair hand-werkes þam fordo, And noght big þam þou salt als so.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (1840), 264. Thy place is biggyd above the sterrys cleer.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. xii. 73. This funerall fire with thir handis biggit I.
1663. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1829), 14. Seats of deals, for the purpose bigged of three degrees.
1716. in Wodrow Corr. (1843), II. 134. A young lad … was bigging corn in the wain.
† 6. To construct, form, fashion. Obs.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., C. 124. Hit may not be þat he is blynde Þat bigged vche yȝe.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. x. So ryche coloures byggen I ne may.
