bisson

Sandblind, purblind.

Adjective

  1. Sandblind, purblind.
    • He was a septuagenary […] He was rugose, pachydermatous, bottlenosed, almost bisson, breviped, tardigradous, and affected with trepidation, partial surdity, and most perceptible seity. Archaisms, exoticisms, and exolete...
  2. Blinding.
    • Run bare-foote vp and downe, Threatning the flame With Biſſon Rheume […] - c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories,...

Origin

From Middle English bisen, bisne (“blind, purblind”), from Old English bisene (“blind”), probably from bi- (“near”) + sīen (“sight”) in the sense of "near-sighted, short-sighted". Compare Dutch bijziende (“mole-eyed”), German beisichtig (“short-sighted”). More at by, see.

Forms

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