Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BREED, BRAID, Breid, Bried, Breedth, Breeth, n.¹ Sc. forms of St.Eng. breadth. Gen.Sc. [brid, bre:d, briθ, bridθ]Sc. 1868 G. Webster Strathbrachan II. xii.:
Gin I get a crimson velvet pelisse I should take care to put another bread in't.Cai.(D) 1934 “Caithness Forum” in John o' Groat Jnl. (19 Jan.):
Faigs, A mak' nae mein if . . . ye get twa-three feet breedth for Hornag.Bnff.⁹ c.1927:
Foo mony breeths are ye pittin in yer kweyt?Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xliii.:
I winna flench a hair's breid for nedder man nor 'oman.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 22:
She has a gown aught breeds aroun'.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) xii.:
But I could scarcely keep from laughing when I . . . saw a glazed queue hanging for half an ell down the braid of my back.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 40:
Did not I packshon wi' you for the bried o' my mither's back and the length o' her carkage?

Phrases: 1. I' the braid (breed) o' one's face, to the breeth —, to one's face, in the face; 2. on the braid o' one's back, flat on one's back, to get the breeth o' one's back, to fall flat on one's back.1. Abd.¹ 1929:
Ca'd him a leear to the breeth o's face.Ags. 1827 Montrose Review (20 July) 299/1:
Ane o' his coat tauld anither ane ae day i' the Presbytery i' the braid o' his face.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto Tammas Bodkin (1868) xiv.:
I tane special guid care no to glower him i' the breed o' the face.2. Bch. 1929 (per Abd.¹):
She'll get the breeth o' her back yet for a' she's sae heich heidit (i.e. she will be laid low).Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) vi.:
An' he cam' lick doon on the braid o' his back i' the gutter.Uls.(D) 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings by Robin 36:
There he wuz, lyin' on the braid o' his back, the ould soo was lickin' his face an' gruntin'.

Comb.: braid-back, a throw on the back.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 16:
He's got braid-back o' the road.