Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BRIM, BRIME, Brimma, n.1 [brɪm, brəim]
1. “Sound of sea breaking on the shore, especially when land could not be seen, as in a fog” (Sh.(D) 1899 J. Spence Sh. Folk-Lore 119; 1910 A. W. Johnson in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. III. i. 39); “surf, breaking of the waves on the shore, or the sound thereof” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1828)). Comb.: brimtud, brimtod, “the sound of waves dashing on the shore” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; 1914 Angus Gl.); “latterly the word has been used as a tabu-term by fishermen at sea” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). [Sh. tod, to produce a low, whistling sound, tud, to suck.]
2. “Sea-spray; smoke like haze: ‘A windy brime'; ‘A snawy brime'” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.). Combs.: (1) brimskud, “the vapoury, smoke-like haze which rises from the shorebretsh” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); (2) brimstew, brimma-stew, brime-stew, “dense, misty spray rising from a heavy surf breaking on the coast” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). See Stew.
[O.N. brim, surf; Norw. brimtot, the sound of the waves breaking against the rocks (Jak.); O.E. brim, sea, ocean, is poetical. Idg. root is *bhrem, to be in restless movement, hence to make a roaring noise.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Brim n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/brim_n1>