A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420-1535
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(To-brek,) To breik, v. P.t. to-brak. P.p. to-brokin, -yn, to-brok(e, to-broik, to-brekin. [ME and e.m.E. to-breke(n (a1225), p.t. to brec (a1175), to-brek (c1275), p.p. to-brokene (c1200), to-broke (1297), OE tobrecan; To- prefix2 and Brek v.]
1. To break in pieces, smash, shatter. a. tr. b. intr.a. ?1438 Alex. ii 9127.
Mony ane hede to-brokin was c1420 Wynt. vii 3163.
Thai fand thare mawmentys … To frwschyd and to brokyn all, And castyn downe in pecys small 1513 Doug. xiii iv 75.
With the felloun rusch … Thar small cavernys all tobrok and rent is c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. ix 17.
Nouthir men puttis new wyne into ald boces; ellis the boces ar to brekinb. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv 452.
The shafft to brak
2. tr., intr., fig. To break (a person's heart, etc.). c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 131/81.
For owther man my hart to breik, Or with my pen I man me wreik 1513 Doug. vii ix 111.
Allace, … we ar tobroke [Ruddim. to broik] and ryve By the fatis
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"To-brek v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/to_brek>
