Also 6 bisa. [a. F. bise, in same sense. Also found in med.L., Pr., Piedmontese bisa; OHG. bîsa, MHG. bîse, mod.G., Swiss bîse, beiswind, Breton biz. Origin and native lang. unknown: Diez (s.v. Bigio) and Scheler incline to refer it to bis dark, blackish. In mod. Eng. only an alien French word.]
A keen dry N. or NNE. wind, prevalent Switzerland and the neighboring parts of France, Germany and Italy.
a. 1300. Havelok, 724. That it ne bigan a wind to rise Out of the north, men calleth bise.
1594. Greene, Look. Glasse (1861), 134. Our sails were split by Bisas bitter blast.
1834. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sc., xxvi. (1849), 292. The cutting north wind called the bise in Switzerland.
1885. Ruskin, Præterita, II. 38. The bise, now first letting one feel what malignant wind could be.
