birken

[ bur-kuhn; Scots bir-kuhn ]

adjectiveScot. and North England.
  1. birchen; birch.

Origin of birken

1
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at birk, -en2

Words Nearby birken

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use birken in a sentence

  • Long before the buildings of Kinton's institute came into view, they received a radio message about birken.

    Exile | Horace Brown Fyfe
  • Seeing that no one ran after him, birken slowed his pace, but kept walking toward the ship.

    Exile | Horace Brown Fyfe
  • By the time his passengers had alighted, however, birken had drawn level with them, about fifty feet away.

    Exile | Horace Brown Fyfe
  • Kinton had stepped forward six or eight paces, irritated despite his anxiety at the way birken persisted in drifting before him.

    Exile | Horace Brown Fyfe
  • He decided that birken had not come close enough for that, and wondered if he was afraid of his own impending action.

    Exile | Horace Brown Fyfe