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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.

Brede, Breid, n.² Also: bred, breyd, breed, bread, braid. [ME. brede, early ME. breade, bræde, OE. brǽde, brǽdu, -o, f. brád Brade a.]

1. Breadth, width. Freq. in phr. of brede.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xiii. 48.
Of al this warld, lynth & bred 1388 Banff Chart. 22.
Of lenthe achttene fal lang and thertene of brede 14.. Acts II. 375/2.
For ilk inch of bred of the wound 1456 Hay I. 45.
The lordschip of Rome is of lenth and brede bot xv mylis 1518 Dunferm. B. Rec. 298.
The brede of the yard efferand to the barne 1525 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 220.
Ane passage … of the brede of ane stand(b) c1420 Wynt. iii. 946.
To prewe the lenth and breid alsua 14.. Acts I. 109/2.
Tua inch in the lenth and thre inch in the breid c1475 Wall. iv. 239.
Thre ȝerde of breide … off the wall 1497 Douglas Chart. 166.
Sa fer as the breid of the altar extendis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 155/25.
The breid of the erth fra south till north 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
With passage conuenient of saxten fwit of breid 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xix.
This ile … is mair extendit to the lenth than breid 1535 Stewart 19401.
Thair multitude … , Thair breid, thair lenth c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2729.
Sick breid, abufe the wallis, thare was 1590 Crim. Trials I. 203.
To ryn the breid of nyne rigis a 1595 Skene Celtic Sc. III. 430.
The Ile of Wist … is of small breid 1608 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 295.
According to the rycht jedge [= gauge] of breid and lenthe 1637 Ann. Banff I. 80.
The wyving of … hardin of a lyik breid 1650 Peebles Gleanings 299.
Witnesses to be led for proving of breid of the said balk(c) 1582 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 138.
Swaiddin burdis of sic leinth and braid as thai vse to be(d) 1610 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 300.
Of the [same] hight, bread, and wydnes 1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 37.
The paroche of Hoy … is … of breed ane myle 1641 Acts V. 591/2.
To keip the saides wayes … in thair bread and integritie 1667 Conv. Burghs III. 593.
Vnder the bread of ane elne 1691 Falkirk Par. Rec. II. 30.
Because of the large bounds of breed and length

2. In prepositional phrases. (Cf. of brede above.) a. In brede, in breadth; also rarely, abroad.For in lenth and brede see Lenth n.(1) 1425 Acts II. 12/1.
The ferlote … sal contene in breid … xvj inchys 1438 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 48.
Al hale … the forsaid tenement … in bred and lynthe 1497 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 60.
Thair … bastalȝe as it is fondit in breid and lintht 1510 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 196.
Twa rudes and ane half rude … in breid 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 47 b.
Baith in hecht and breid 1587 Acts III. 521/2.
Having tryit … the same [firlot] in deipnes and breid 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 131.
The rudis … tuentie foure futtis in braid Ib.
To be biggit in heicht and braid 1641 Acts V. 611/2.
On aither syid of the said water in breid 1691 Falkirk Par. Rec. II. 30.
The paroch … extending in breed from Carrin Water near to St. Lawrence Kirk(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 338.
That thare ofsprynge mycht grow in brede 1549 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 275.
To remane quhill tha get licence … to pas furth in braid

b. On brede, in breadth or extent; in an open or displayed manner; out from a centre, abroad. Also upon brede. (Cf. Abrede adv.)(1) 1375 Barb. xii. 440.
Ane mekill feld On breid c1420 Wynt. ix. 3246.
Thretty fute on breid, or mare 1424 Acts II. 8/1.
Seven fut on lenth and seven on breyd 15.. Clar. ii. 6.
Ane brig … Whair that on bread ane man micht pas(2) c1450-2 Howlat 399.
Ane grene tre … That bure branchis on breid a1500 Rauf C. 593.
Ane man … Buskit busteously on breid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 424.
Than lay I furth my … buke on breid on my kne Id. lxxii. 73.
Quhen he was bendit so on breid 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 113.
The dasy dyd on breid hir crownell smaill 1535 Stewart 31931.
At the last tha tuke the feild on breid 15.. Clar. v. 665.
Thay oppinnit them on breade upon ane tabil 1560 Rolland Seven S. 150/5.
The barbour causit hir lay furtb on breid That vther arme a1568 Bann. MS. 229 b/46.
All ȝe flouris … Lay furth ȝour levis vponn breid(3) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 74.
To … blaw my bewtie on breid 1513 Doug. ix. viii. 140.
The laif skalyt on brede 1533 Bell. Livy I. 127/9; Ib. II. 48/30.
The abhominabil dede … is divulgate on brede in Rome c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 104.
Thair Nimphis names … Ouid on breid hes blawin a1568 Scott xxxv. 15.
Quhois workis on braid sall evir spraid

c. Of breid, in breadth or extent. c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 690.
He send his spyis … To Jerico, to spy the land of breid

3. With specification of measurement.Frequent in combinations as acre-, elne-, finger-, fur-, fute-, penny-, stra-brede. 1437 Reg. Dunferm. 285.
A gate liand betuix, of fourty fute brede 1583 Elgin Rec. I. 172.
Tua hunderith elnis quhyt cleyth of thre quarter breid 1596 Paisley B. Rec. 176.
To big ane chop of sex quarters breid

4. A single breadth (esp. of cloth). c1450-2 Howlat 27.
The birth that the ground bure was browdin on breidis With girs [etc.] 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 48.
Four schetis … of thre breidis 1561 Inv. Wardrobe 133.
A breid of claith of gold and ane uther of silvir 1578 Ib. 211.
Of claith of silver … contening threttie lang breidis, sevin schort breidis [etc.] 1587 Edinb. Test. XVIII. 71 b.
Four breidis of schorne wark 1653 Soc. Ant. XXIII. 302.
Two pair of fustiane blanketts containing three breeds