bisson

From Middle English bisen, bisne (“blind, purblind”), from Old English bisene (“blind”), probably from bi- (“near”) + sīen (“sight”) in the sense of "near-sighted, short-sighted". Compare Dutch bijziende (“mole-eyed”), German beisichtig (“short-sighted”). More at by, see.

• enPR: bĭs'in, IPA^(key): /ˈbɪsin/

bisson (comparative more bisson, superlative most bisson)

1. (archaic) sandblind, purblind
2. (archaic) blinding
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act 2, scene 2]:

     Run bare-foote vp and downe, / Threatning the flame / With Biſſon Rheume […]

• bisons