A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Breke, Breik, n. [Northern (and eastern) ME. breke (midl. and southern breche), OE. bréc, pl. of bróc (ON. brók, pl. brœ́k-r).]
1. = Brekis n. pl.a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1080.
Al nakit bot sark & breke c1420 Wynt. i. 452.
Amang thame all wes nocht a breke c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 104; Ib. 119.
Thy bawis hingis throw thy breik 1531 Bell. Boece II. 479.
Thay sit full stil, that hes ane revin breik 1540 Lynd. Sat. 434.
I wait ȝe beare his health into ȝour breik a1598 Ferg. Prov. 62.
It is ill to take a breik off a bair arse 1599 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 398.
Cleyth to be coit and breik
b. Attrib. with bowchour (= patcher).a1568 Bann. MS. 140 a/23.
Fy on the telȝour that nevir wes trew … Breik bowchour on ane sonny bray
2. The breech of the body.a1500 Henr. Fab. 521.
I hecht … Within ane oulk … To get ane berne, suld better claw my breik
