Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Breve, Brewe, Breif, v. Also: breiue and Breif. [ME. breve(n, med. L. breviāre, f. breve Breve n.]

1. tr. To furnish with musical notes. 1450 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 201.
Ane collection with anthiphonis and responses … breuit and notit for the chantouris

2. To put, express, describe, etc., in writing. c1450-2 Howlat 536.
For it bled he his blud, as the bill brevit 1463 Reg. Aberbr. 139.
As I hawe brewit eftir the tenor of this summondis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 1944.
Maister Ihon Blayr … in Wallace buk brewyt it with the layff a1500 Golagros and Gawane 281.
To be fallow … To the best that has bene brevit you beforne 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 18.
Of quhome the bountie, … Vneith may be intill ane scripture brewit c1515 Asloan MS I. 324/14.
The mast notable accidentis brevit thus in schort tymes 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 225.
Me thocht this bird did breue, in her maneir, Hir counsale to the Kyng 1573 Satirical Poems xl. 313–14.
Taking exempill of this propheit plane, Quhome heir befoir we breuit in this bill 1596 Dalr. I. 275/9.
He … sett out lawis … quhilkes in the beginning of this historie we breiuet 1622-6 Bisset I. 152/26.
The lordis, quha convenis nocht at the houre appoyntted, … sall nocht be breved nor wreittin [in] amang the rest of the lordis sedentes

3. To write or compose (a letter, book, etc.). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix. 6.
Quhen I wald blythlie ballattis breif c1500-c1512 Ib. xlii. 42.
Gud Houp … bad be baldlie breve a bill 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 495/2.
In forme of uthir sic lettrez before brevit 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 38.
In the courte bene present … That ballattis breuis lustellie and layis c1550 Rolland Court of Venus Prol. 319.
Now pas thy wayis, thou barrant buik new breuit c1550 Ib. ii. 240.
Sum ballet or sang breuit of the new