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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.

Bruke, Bruik, Breuk, v.¹ Also: bruk, brwk(e; bruyk, brwik, brwyk, bruick; brewk. [Variant of Broke v., and agreeing in vowel with this in contrast to Brouk.]Frequently associated with other verbs of similar meaning, esp. jois. Cf. Brouk v.

1. tr. To have or enjoy the use or possession of (something).

a. Lands or property of any kind.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 236.
He sall nocht bruk it but bargane Ib. xix. 10.
Thai thoucht … till bruke, eftir his dede, the kynrik a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 1027.
To bruk his land and be his are Ib. xlvi. 92.
Scho … brukit al hir possessione 1424 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 96.
Eftyr that he … bruk and ioyis nocht the saide lande 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 112.
Geyf ony man wald com … and brwk wel his land 1462 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 368.
I wil that the said Robert … bruke & joys the said annuale pessabilly 1471 Edinb. Chart. 133.
Thir custumis and dewiteis … to be raisit, brukit and joisit be thame c1475 Wall. iii. 292.
Mycht Eduuard king get him, … To be his man, than suld he bruk Scotland 1520 Reg. Panmure II. 294.
That I … may peceabilly jois and bruk the said half landis 1535 Stewart 18672.
Maximus for certane At his plesour lang eftir brukit Britane 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 27.
The said Hew sall bruk the tyndis for that yeir with the profit of the samyn 1562-3 Winȝet I. 12/22.
Sum … hes libertie to bruke the Kirk rentis a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. cviii. 48.
Everie man [to] bruke his awin land and geir 1596 Dalr. II. 354/5.
King Henrie … causet to Brounston … his cuntrie to bruke in peace 1604-31 Craig iii. 30.
The devill is black, yet let him bruke his own c 1615 Maxwell Mem. I. 324.
The nerrest … bayth of the maill and femaill to brvke my landis(b) 1457 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 183.
[To] bruik and jois thaim [the lands] as vas decretit 1484 Reg. Dunfermline 373.
That thai endur furth & bruyk & jois pecieply the said tak 1489 Wemyss Chart. 113.
The said knycht sal brwik and ioys pesiabli … the said landis 1492 Reg. Cupar A. I. 254.
We wil … that the said Andro Currour … jois and bruyk the said botht 1522 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 103.
[To be] maid inhable in his persoun to bruik euermair tak or roume within the said fredome 1560 Soc. Ant. XXIII. 55.
Sche culd nevir have bruicked her awin lievin peciablie be raisin the saime lyes in sa brokin ane cuntrie 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 43.
Thay to bruik still the castell … quhill thair absolutioun tane from Rome 1603 Philotus xlvii.
Betwixt vs twa the heyris maill Sall bruik my heritage all haill 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 88.
I desyre to know quho hes bruikit Kirkcastell 1642 Melrose R. Rec. I. 91.
The lands of Appeltrilives … to be peaceablie bruiked, labored, and manured by the said Andro Smith 1662 Decis. Lords G. 12.
If the Earl should … think fit rather to have back the feu, than that Grant should bruik it 1675 Sutherland Chart. 205.
To be peaceablie bruicked and possessed be the saids freinds(c) 1487 Fraser Papers 106.
The lordschipe … quhilk … master Gilbert josit & breukit 1506 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 205.
Frathinfurtht to jois and breuk the samyn [malys and fermes] peciablie 1548 Red Bk. Menteith II. 334.
Our landis … fra thynefurtht to be peciablie breukit, set, vsit, or disponit

b. An office, dignity or privilege.(a) 1375 Barb. xx. 132.
Robert Stivard suld be Kyng, and brwk all the rialte 1483 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 48.
He sall bruk the priuiledge of a stranger for ane yeir 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 226/1.
A ȝerely pensioun … ay and quhill he bruke and jose the archidenry 1527 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 229.
Student in Sanctandrois, and brukand the priuilege of the Vniuersite therof 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 75.
Thai sall brwk for all the dais of thair lyftymes all priuilege of brugh in baronye 1558 Glasgow B. Rec. 125.
Diverse of our forbearis … quhilkis brukit the said office of bailȝerie for thair tyme 1583 Lanark B. Rec. 89.
I am nocht wirdie other to be ballie nor bruk na uther offece 1597 St. A. Kirk S. 838.
He to bruk the place of ane elder ay and quhill he wer fund gilte(b) 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 239.
To be fremen and burgessis … and to joise and bruik thair priuileges of burgessis c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 659.
Then quod Clotho, He sall bruik benefice of Venus court a1585 Maitl. Q. xlii. 170.
Thocht God haue not … appointit thé To bruik worschip and honour 1577 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 59.
Sic burges airis sall nocht haif, bruik nor jois the benefeit and previlege of ane burges aire 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 178.
To bruik any office, honour or dignity 1642 Kircaldy Presb. 244.
Ane petitioun for keiping their libertie of bruiking Presbytery per vices 1661 Glasgow Chart. II. 37.
All and sundrie … actis, rightis, liberties … anywayes bruiked of befoire be the said burgh 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. 36.
The punishment of baratry is … banishment, and never to bruik honour nor office within the kingdom

c. A material thing, or a person. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 464.
Quhare he the thrinfald crone Sal euir bruk c 1456 Edinb. B. Rec. MS. 2.
Licence … to bruke and jois ane wyndow … in the gavile of the … land a1500 Henr. Fab. 2651.
I culd him warne, … and I brukit [v.r. bruikit] my heid, I suld be wrokkin on him a1500 Colk. Sow ii. 750.
Litill wat thow … quho may Bruk thy wyfe and baggis efter thy day c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 87.
His bawis he micht not langar bruik 1513 Doug. xiii. i. 79.
Now beis glaid, bruke thyne armour but plede 1535 Stewart 20419.
Octaueus … Sould bruik the croun without ony discord c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1179.
Taryand [they were] vpon dispensatioun. Had it cum hame, he had hir bruikit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 53/25.
His halk … was neuer cast of till assay, Bot without fault scho brukit ay hir pray 1583 Sat. P. xlv. 799.
He tuik thame [sc. schone], And pat thame on; ewill mocht he bruik them 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. ii. 41.
Receaue … The bow, the schafts, … Once quhich I bruick'd a1650 Row in Blair Autobiogr. 123.
My trophies all thine own thou'se call, And breuk them aye with me

d. A state or condition (esp. blis or life), name, etc. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 1154; Ib. xxvii. 835.
To bruk that blyse with dere Ihesu Ib. xxxii. 693.
Gyf ȝe wil Bruk ȝoure lyf c1420 Ratis R. 588.
An vthir may Haf lyf, and bruk thair ȝarnyng ay 1486 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 76.
Quhatsumeuer lettis … the said James to bruk and jois the foresaid mareaghe 1513 Doug. v. iv. 69; Ib. xii. xiii. 104.
Do lat thame bruke the mastry and the pryce 1544 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 19.
Brukeing the surname and bearand the armes of Hayis c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 253.
Quhill I may bruik my liue, Hir from my hart I will neuer depriue 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 114.
If sho bruikit hir lyif, sho should be vpoun the xv day … in Leith or in Edinburgh

2. absol. To be in possession or enjoyment. c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 895.
Madame, bruik weill; the price it is to hie Ib. iv. 378.
Now may I bruik with greit barret and baill 1580 Inverness B. Rec. I. 285.
That na burges … sall brwike and jois fordir of the wattir of Ness bot ane fourtie schilling mailling 1606 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 406.
That Matthew Boyd … bruik for his lyftyme, as ony poore man … bruikit of befoir, … in fyir, bedding [etc.] 1662 Decis. Lords G. 15.
It was alledged by the defender, that he bruiked by a right from William Home 1663 Ib. 67.
A burges who … bruicks by an act of court

3. tr. To remain in (a place). 1594 Warrender P. II. 247.
He declarit … that he could not breuk Scotland gif the laird of Cadell breukit his liffe