An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Biese

by Friedrich Kluge

Biese, Bise, f., ‘north-east wind,’ earlier, Beiswind (with the regular ei), from the equiv. bī̆se, OHG. bī̆sa, whence Fr. bise. A Teut. root bī̆s, bī̆z, ‘to rush in excitedly,’ also appears in MidHG. and ModHG. (dial.), bisen, ‘to run about like cattle tormented by horse-flies’ (with this is connected ModHG. dial. beiern, with a change of s into r, in Hess. and Henneberg., with the same meaning); comp. further OSw. bĭsa, ‘to run,’ Dan. bisse, ‘to run excitedly.’ Perhaps the root bi, ‘to tremble,’ is nearly akin.