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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.

Brome, Browme, n. Also: broym, broume, brovme, broom. [e.m.E. broom(e, brome (also broume, browme), ME. brome, OE. bróm. See also Brume.]

1. The plant broom.(a) 1425 Acts II. 12/1.
That na … haddir na broume be put nere the fyre 1457 Ib. 51/1.
Anent plantacione of woddis … and sawing of brovme 1535 Ib. 343/1.
For polecy to be had … in planting of woddis … and sawing of browme 1570 Inverness B. Rec. I. 186.
Ane wall biggit wyth steakis and watling of wandis and browme(b) 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 37.
Full litill it wald delyte To write of scroggis, broym, haddir, or rammale 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 325.
Ane pund of knitellis to knit the samin brome on the housis 1608 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 12 b.
Brome to mak covers for the schaftis to cover the windes men fra the iniurie of the wedder 1618 Crim. Trials III. 441.
James Stewart … come bodin in feir of weir … of purpois to haif darnet himself in the brome 1621 Acts IV. 627/2.
Stakkis of haither, brome, quhines, and vther fewall 1652 Lamont Diary 50.
The whine generallie did blome, and some brome also

2. With pl. A bush, growth or expanse of broom. 1315 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. 12.
Cum terra que vocatur la Brome prope lacum [de Lythcu] 1461 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 362.
With wodis, … bromis, hader [etc.] 1498 Acta Conc. II. 226.
The accione … be Jonet Straithauchin … for the distruccione of a browme in hir skaith 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 78.
The silly scheip and thar litil hyrd gromys Lurkis vndre le of bankis, woddis, and bromys 1555 Acts II. 497/2.
That na persoun range vther mennis woddis, parkis, haningis … or browmis 1582 Inverness B. Rec. I. 290.
Being accusit … for steling, cutting, and distroyng of the browmes and hanyngis of Dunnane

3. Attrib. with bissom (besom); quoy (enclosure). 1616 Orkney & Zetl. Sheriff Ct. 72 b.
Agnes Cursetter … being sitting with Margrat Stewart … in hir awin browme quoy 1693 Foulis Acc. Bk. 159.
For 4 broom bissomes 1714 Househ. Bk. Gr. Baillie 94.
For 12 broom bussoms