Chapter Bent to Bertha of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bernesque Poetry Serio-comic poetry; so called from Francesco Berni, of Tuscany, who greatly excelled in it. (1490-1536).

Bernouilli's Numbers or the properties of numbers first discovered by James Bernouilli, professor of mathematics at Basle (1654-1705).

Berserker Grandson of the eight-handed Starkader and the beautiful Alfhilde, called bær-serce (bare of mail) because he went into battle unharnessed. Hence, any man with the fighting fever on him.

“You say that I am berserker. And ... baresark I go to-morrow to the war.”-Rev. C. Kingsley; Hereward the Wake.

Berth He has tumbled into a nice berth. A nice situation or fortune. The place in which a ship is anchored is called its berth, and the sailors call it a good or bad berth as they think it favourable or otherwise. The space also allotted to a seaman for his hammock is called his berth. (Norman, berth, a cradle.)
   To give a wide berth. Not to come near a person; to keep a person at a distance. The place where a ship lies in harbour is called her berth: hence, to give a “wide berth” is to give a ship plenty of room to swing at anchor.

Bertha The betrothed of John of Leyden, but, being a vassal of Count Oberthal, she was unable to marry without her lord's consent. When she went with her mother to ask permission of marriage, the count, struck with her beauty, determined to make her his mistress. She afterwards makes her escape from the castle, and, fancying that the “prophet” had caused the death of her lover, goes to Munster fully resolved to compass his death by setting fire to the palace. She is apprehended, and, being brought before the prophet-king, recognises her lover in him, saying, “I loved thee once, but now my love is turned to hate,” and stabs herself. (Meyerbeer's opera, Le Prophéte. )