Markup View

Author: Tharthan

Dec 28th 2012 at 8:08:36 AM

@CobraPrime Are sure you aren't Californian? That snide and uncouth rudeness is something I've only seen in a Californian.

Anyway, if you read the Wiktionary article, specifically the bit that says: "
Alternative spellings: bizen, bisen, bizon", "From Middle English bysen, partly from Old English bÈ³sen (â€œexample, pattern, model, similitude, parable, parallel, rule, command, preceptâ€), and partly from Old Norse bÃ½sn (â€œa wonder, a portentous thingâ€), both from Proto-Germanic *bÅ«sniz (â€œcommand, preceptâ€), from Proto-Germanic *beudanan (â€œto ask, begâ€), from Proto-Indo-European *bÊ°ewdÊ°- (â€œto be awake, perceive fullyâ€). Cognate with Gothic ðŒ±ðŒ¿ðƒðŒ½ðƒ (busns, â€œcommand, orderâ€). See also forbisen, forbise.", "(US, UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) An example; pattern." and "Usage notes:
In the U.S., the only acceptable spelling is "bisen."" you shouldn't have any questions.

As to why it isn't in Oxford: It only remains in the common speech of Rhode Island (a state in the U.S., where I am from), Northern England, Scotland, and a few other U.K. dialects. When it was in broader use, it was in Oxford.