binn

See also: Binn.

English

Noun

binn (plural binns)

1. Archaic spelling of bin (“storage container for wine, etc.”).
   • 1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:

     Mr. Tulkinghorn sits at one of the open windows, enjoying a bottle of old port. Though a hard-grained man, close, dry, and silent, he can enjoy old wine with the best. He has a priceless binn of port in some artful cellar under the Fields, which is one of his many secrets.

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Waterford) IPA^(key): /bʲaiɲ/
• (Kerry) IPA^(key): /bʲiːnʲ/
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /bʲiːn̠ʲ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /bʲɪn̠ʲ/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish bind, binn (“melodious, harmonious; sweet, pleasing”), from Proto-Celtic *bandis (“harmonious, melodious”), probably related to etymology 2 (“peak, summit”).

Adjective

binn (genitive singular masculine binn, genitive singular feminine binne, plural binne, comparative binne)

1. (of music) sweet, melodious, harmonious

Declension

Declension of binn

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	binn	bhinn	binne; bhinne²
Vocative	bhinn		binne
Genitive		binne	binne	binn
Dative	binn; bhinn¹	bhinn	binne; bhinne²
Comparative	níos binne
Superlative	is binne

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Etymology 2

From Old Irish benn, from Proto-Celtic *bandā (“peak, top”).

Noun

binn f (genitive singular binne, nominative plural beanna)

1. peak, tip, summit (of a mountain or hill)
2. (architecture) corner, gable
3. pinnacle
4. horn
5. (figuratively) stanza, couplet

Declension

Declension of binn

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative binn beanna Vocative a bhinn a bheanna Genitive binne beann Dative binn beanna

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an bhinn na beanna Genitive na binne na mbeann Dative leis an mbinn don bhinn leis na beanna

Derived terms

• binn siosúir f (“blade of scissors”)
• biorbheannach m (“pronghorn”)

Related terms

• beann

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
binn	bhinn	mbinn
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “binn”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “binn”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “binn”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Old English

Etymology

From a Celtic language, possibly Proto-Brythonic *benn (“cart, carriage”) (whence Middle Welsh benn, modern Welsh ben), from Proto-Celtic *bend(n)ā (whence Gaulish benna).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /binn/, [bin]

Noun

binn f

1. stall

Scottish Gaelic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piːɲ/
• (Lewis) IPA^(key): [pə̃ĩɲ]

Etymology 1

From Old Irish bind, binn (“melodious, harmonious; sweet, pleasing”), from Proto-Celtic *bandis (“harmonious, melodious”), probably related to Irish binn (“peak, summit”).

Adjective

binn (comparative binne)

1. melodious, musical, tuneful, dulcet, sweet

   èist ri òran binn nan eun ― listen to the sweet song of the birds

2. shrill
3. harmonious

Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *bendi, *benni, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to speak”), see also Sanskrit भान (bhāna, “evidence”), English ban (“public proclamation, edict”).

Noun

binn f (genitive singular binne, plural binnean)

1. (law) sentence, judgement, verdict, decision, condemnation
2. fate
3. melody
4. hopper of a mill

Mutation

Mutation of binn

radical	lenition
binn	bhinn

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “binn”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “binn (‘melodious, harmonious’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language