bier
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(bîr) 
n.
n.
- A stand on which a corpse or a coffin containing a corpse is placed before burial.
- A coffin along with its stand: followed the bier to the cemetery.
[Alteration (influenced by French bière, coffin) of Middle English ber, from Old English bēr.]
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[Ar]
A movable wooden platform on which corpses are laid, sometimes together with grave goods, and eventually carried to a burial place.
Word Tutor:
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bier
IN BRIEF: A stand that holds a corpse or coffin.
There was a new made grave, and by its side the bier was rested. . .
— Walt Whitman
Tutor's tip: You wouldn't want to confuse a "beer" (alcoholic drink) with a "bier" (coffin and its stand).
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Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'bier'
- Stools and Stands - bier: stand for coffin
- Burial and Funerals - bier: stand or pedestal for a coffin or the coffin itself
See crossword solutions for the clue
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This article is about a frame to transport corpses. For other uses, see Bier (disambiguation).
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This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Discussion about the problems with the sole source used may be found on the talk page. (August 2011) |
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The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (August 2011) |
A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin, or casket containing a corpse, is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave.[1]
In Christian burial, the bier is often placed in the centre of the nave with candles surrounding it, and remains in place during the funeral.
The bier is a flat frame, traditionally wooden but sometimes of other materials. In antiquity it was often a wooden board on which the dead were placed, covered with a shroud. In modern times, the corpse is rarely carried on the bier without being first placed in a coffin or casket, though the coffin or casket is sometimes kept open.
A bier is often draped with cloth to lend dignity to the funeral service. The modern funeral industry uses a collapsible aluminium bier on wheels, known as a "church truck" to move the coffin to and from the church or funeral home for services.
Biers are generally smaller than the coffin or casket they support for reasons of appearance. As a result, they are not particularly stable, and can tip over unless well centred and undisturbed.
The Carmelite Priory, Mdina, Malta has a colourful bier on display that was used to carry the monks or friars before they were buried without a coffin.
See also
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Look up bier in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Biers |
References
- ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 1973), s.v., "bier"
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Translations:
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Bier
Français (French)
n. - civière, brancard (de cercueil), bière (d'un cadavre)
Deutsch (German)
n. - Totenbahre
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - βάθρο φέρετρου, νεκροκρέβατο
idioms:
- place on the bier mettere nella bara
Português (Portuguese)
n. - ataúde (m), carreta (f) fúnebre
idioms:
- place on the bier uma vaga na alça do caixão
idioms:
- place on the bier положить тело на похоронный стенд
Español (Spanish)
n. - féretro, andas funerarias
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - likbår, likvagn, grav
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
棺架, 棺材, 尸架
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 棺架, 棺材, 屍架
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) نعش
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ארון-מתים, מיטת מת
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