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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.

Brod, n.² Also: broid, brodd, broad. [Variant of bord Burd(e n., perhaps influenced by Bred n.]

1. A board forming one of the scales in a weighing-machine. Usually in pl.See also tron-brod, wecht-brod. 1425 Exch. R. IV. 385.
Pro costagiis factis super tronam, videlicet, le balk et broddis novis 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 76.
Gevin for twa plankkis to be broddis to the ovir trone 1586 St. A. Test. II. 60 b.
Ane balk and ane pair of broddis 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 46.
Ane pair of ballances with ane trie brod and ane brasin schell 1594 Stirling Merch. Guild 6.
That the dene off gild caus mak ane pair of fyne brods acording to the balk 1643 Edinb. Test. LX. 286.
Ane flanderis balk with broadis and weychtis belonging thairto 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 47.
Thrie baaks … , thrie pair of brods, and ane new pair of brodis 1681 Lanark B. Rec. 205.
Tuo balks and tuo pair of brods … Tuo iron cleiks wherupon the brods hing at the trone 1696 Peebles B. Rec. II. 156.
The thesaurer to mak ready two stand of weights for weighting of the meall, … with broads accordingly

2. A collecting board or plate. Cf. Bred n.¹1. 1519 Perth Hammermen Bks. 5.
Ressavit … with the broddis in tymes of Midsomer and Andersmes markatts 1575 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 658/1.
To the brod at the Abbay Kirk door, 5 s 1586–7 St. A. Kirk S. 585.
[The] belmen ar commandit … to bring the puir folkis broddis to the sessioun ilk Weddinsday 1599 Treas. Acc. MS. 65 b.
To the brod at the chapell dore for his maiestie on Sonday 1623 Elgin Rec. II. 180.
Gif ony indweller refuise the brod and (to) stand at the Kirk dor to gadder the peoples collectioun 1650 Ib. 271.
For making a broad for gathering the poor's money at the kirk door 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 115.
To my wife to the broad when the comunion was given be Mr Lundie at Leith

1. A piece of wood, a tablet, painted or decorated or intended for this purpose; in later use esp. one bearing a coat of arms.See also paintit and picture brod.(a) 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 87.
For paynting of ane brod, to hing at the Hie Altar 1574 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 32.
Ane brod, payntit vpone the samyn the image of oure Lady c1600 Montg. Suppl. 213/56.
Quha had hir pictour present ay Hung in ane brod befoir his eyes 1610 Hist. Kynloss A. p. xi.
The brod with the kingis armes, … ane frenche womanis pictour 1619 Edinb. Test. L. 182 b.
Foure littill brodis on the wallis, price of thame all xl s. 1637 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 127.
Haveing brought with thame three great brods, with the armes of Phillorth drawin vpon the same 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 77.
That … abuses in hinging of pinsells and brods, affixting of honers and armes, … in the kirk have crept in(b) 1633–4 Black Bk. Taymouth 75.
For painting of threttie broads of the kingis of Scotland 1641 Edinb. Test. LX. 15.
Aucht broidis of pictoris estimat all to xij lib. 1660–1 Peebles B. Rec. II. 201.
To put up the brood in the tolbuith, containing the King and toun arms 1665 Lauder Journal 6.
The infinit art that some curious painter hath showen on a large timber broad Ib.
On the same broad … is drawen a woman 1688 Soc. Ant. II. 455.
An large broad, opening with two leaves, … wherein were sued severall superstitious pictures

b. The dial of a clock. (Also horologe brod.) 1579 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 24.
For making of iiij bobbis of yrne to the brod of the horologe c1590 Fowler 263/2.
My mistres and this horloge be alyke In wheils, in signs, in hammer, brod, & bell Ib. 11.
Tuyse tuelf be signs depainted on this brod 1623 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 282.
The brod of the orlige to be maid of new tymer and penttit

c. A board on which a notice is affixed or lettering painted.See also A B C brod, genealogie brod. 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 284.
Ane tabill to be maid … of the haill customes of this burgh … and the sam to be putt in perchement in ane brod 1596 Ib. V. 168.
Extracts thairof … [to be] putt upoun brods in perchement 1598 Acts IV. 174/1.
To … caus thame to be copyit and affixt vpoun ane brod, and the samyn brod hung vp daylie … at thair mercat croce 1649 Peebles B. Rec. 387.
He shall have his scooll lawes ordourlie sett doune in ane large brod and hung in the scoole for the scolleris informatioun 1686 Stirling B. Rec. II. 49.
The saidis tables or broads [of the ten commandments, etc.] to be set up in the councill hous 1709 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 338.
The haill mortificationes to be extended on broads, and each modification to have a broad

d. A chess-board. (See also ches brod.) 1582 Edinb. Test. X. 288 b.
Ane stand of ches men with the brod thairof 1640 Bk. Pasquils 99.
The Bishops bracke the play; they rang'd the brod

4. A board, in various senses.See also chimnay, fute, window brod. 1535 Stewart 86.
Part [of the story] tha fand in ald broades of bukis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Timbria.
Sua mony [skins] as is inclused within twa broddes of timmer 1600 Crim. Trials II. i. 178.
The deponar … pullit vp the brod of the windo 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 224 b.
Naillis to naill the hydes vpoun the bellowes brodes 1625 Elgin Rec. II. 190.
To give to George Finlay, wricht, tuentie schillingis for two broadis 1636 Kirkcaldy Presb. 103.
Item for kaisses and brods to the thrie windoes thairof 1682 Melrose R. Rec. III. 5.
[Two books] with fyne broads

b. A plate or slab of metal, etc. 1634 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 423.
Four alabaster broades ouergildit 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 357.
2 iron broads … with 2 handles for lifting the said chimnays

5. = Bred n.² 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 233.
Bocht twa broddis of buge to the lynyng of the samyne