An archaic or dialectal term for an example, pattern, or model; something to be imitated or followed.
Old English 'bysne' or 'bisen,' from Proto-Germanic roots meaning 'example' or 'pattern.' The word is related to modern 'besom' and reflects Germanic language traditions of describing exemplary things.
Before we had 'example' and 'model,' English speakers used 'bysen'—it's a ghost word that shows how vocabulary evolves and simpler versions eventually win out!
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