An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Biese

by Friedrich Kluge

Biese, Bise, feminine, ‘north-east wind,’ earlier, Beiswind (with the regular ei), from the equivalent bī̆se, Old High German bī̆sa, whence French bise. A Teutonic root bī̆s, bī̆z, ‘to rush in excitedly,’ also appears in Middle High German and Modern High German (dialectic), bisen, ‘to run about like cattle tormented by horse-flies’ (with this is connected Modern High German dialectic beiern, with a change of s into r, in Hessian and Henneberg., with the same meaning); compare further Old Swedish bĭsa, ‘to run,’ Danish bisse, ‘to run excitedly.’ Perhaps the root bi, ‘to tremble,’ is nearly akin.