bisson

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.

• enPR: bĭs'in, IPA^(key): /ˈbɪsin/

bisson (comparative more bisson, superlative most bisson)

1. (archaic) sandblind, purblind
2. (archaic) blinding
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Run bare-foote vp and downe,
     Threatning the flame
     With Biſſon Rheume […]

• bisons

Compare French buisson

bisson (m)

1. A bush (“shrub, woody plant, like a small trunkless tree”)