Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Brute, Bruit, n. Also: brut(t, brwte; bruite, -tt, bruyt, brwitt, brwytt, broyt; browt, broot. [Late ME. and e.m.E. brute, bruyt(e, bruit, F. bruit, f. bruire to make a noise, to roar.]

1. Report noised or spread abroad; rumour.(a) 1456 Hay II. 152/2.
Tharfor … [let] that be done secretely, but proclamacioun or brute 1531 Bell. Boece I. 115.
The Pichtis, at the first brut of thir novellis, wer effrayit Id. Livy II. 205/13.
Belive the brute and noyis hereof was brocht to Rome 1549 Compl. 178/32.
Thai haue gart ane secret brute pas in Scotland that sum of ȝou hes intelligens vitht them 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 315.
Ther wes sckaytht done, bot nocht sa greitt as thay mak brwt 1567 Acts II. 576/2.
Schir Iohnne suld gar the brute pas that he wes to gang to ward to Striueling 1572 Reg. Morton I. 75.
The rumors and brutis here geven furthe … hathe trobled many 1584 Waus Corr. II. 306.
Thair is sum brute of alteration in that court, bot we haiff na certantie 1600 Crim. Trials II. 156.
Hering ane vncertane rumour and brute of the Kingis furth-going 1608 Melrose P. 58.
To gif out … fals brwteis or rumours, aganis … this mater 1659 Durham Scandal 116.
If the fame or brute of such a thing be come to such an height(b) 1545 Douglas Corr. 158.
This broyt puttis ane gret fere in the pepillis hartis 1549 Compl. 116/9.
He gart the bruit gang that thai presoneris hed eschaipit … contrar his vil 1558-66 Knox II. 322.
The bruyt thairof spred over all 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 651/2.
Brwyttis past of the surprysing of that Castell 1585 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 158.
The frequent bruittis of the cumming of oure rebellis 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 541.
Ane brwitt of convocatiouns to be maid in the north be the Erle of Huntly 1624 Buccleuch Mun. II. 348.
His majestie … had hard of that enterprise … , by ane incertan bruite 1631 Red Bk. Menteith II. 182.
Albeit the bruittis goes very crocelie(c) 1551 Corr. M. Lorraine 352.
I man lat your grace ken the browt of this cuntre 1614 Melrose P. 159.
The brootes … , of the grit preparatioun of a Spanische nauie 1626 Garden Worthies 149.
When broot of Fame hade blawn

2. Rumour involving praise or blame of a person; good or bad report or fame.(a) 1492 Miscell. Bann. C. II. 132.
Of quhais bewté was ronne sa gret a brute 1492 Myll Spect. 283/22.
The gret brute & vassalege that was of this Hercules 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. cviii.
That nobill men may have baith laud and glorie, For thair excellent brut of victorie a1568 Scott xxxv. 9.
He sall haif brute, as tre on rute Endlang the river plantit 1567 Reg. Morton I. 18.
He intendis to utterlie rwyn and decay the guid fame and brute of our derrast soveran 1579 Acts III. 175/1.
Sum malicious … personis … haue foirgit & fenȝeit ane slanderous report and infamous brute aganis me 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 20.
He quha sould be ane arbitour, sould be of gude brute and fame 1623 Lett. Eccles. Affairs II. 731.
The malicious brute that some wicked persons invented and spreade 1631 Red Bk. Menteith II. 138.
If the brut hold … , I am schamit … for euer(b) 1513 Doug. xiii. Prol. 193.
Quha evir in Latyn hes the bruyt or glor 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 242.
To hald and keip this toune in ane guid bruit and name … it is statut [etc.] 1551 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 152.
The evill bruitt and lichtleing of this realm … in pairts of Flanderis and France 1570 Sat. P. xx. 15.
Thair bruit is blawn Abrode baith day and nycht 1580 Fam. Innes 139.
Quhow he suld eschew the bruitt and sklander … of the slauchter of his father 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 217.
He … wald agrie thairto as nocht willing to vnderly the bruitt and indignatioun of the pepill(c) 1626 Garden Worthies 75.
What thow hes been abrod thy broot is bloune

3. Noise, clamour, din. (Freq. in Douglas.) 1513 Doug. ii. 94/4.
Ruschand thidder quhar … The noys and brute me drew Ib. v. iii. 90.
The mekyll hyllys Bemys agane, hyt with the brute so schil Ib. vi. ix. 59; etc.
Quhat menys this bruyt, weping, and woful cryis? 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 6.
Efter I was walknit be the bruite they maid at thair entrie c1590 J. Stewart 66/42.
Quhan ane troup of porcks … quhryns vith pitius bruit and beir

4. Attrib. with theif = notorious. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 91.
For sclandering of Malcum Ormistoun calling him ane bruit theife