Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Brerd, Breird, n. Also: braird. [ME. brerd(e, OE. brerd, brim, margin.]

1. The surface (of the earth). a1500 Gaw. & Gol. 1084.
I wil noght turn myn entent, for all this warld brerd

b. The brim of a vessel; the liquor at the brim. a1598 Ferg. Prov. 22.
Better spare at the breird, nor at the bottom 1596 Declaration, etc. 279 (J).
The cup of his vengeance … of the which the servants of his own house … has gottin the breird to drink

2. The first shoots of grain. (Cf. Abreird adv.) Also fig. a1500 Henr. Fab. Prol. 10 (Makc.).
As throw a bustewous erd … Spryngys the flowris & the corne on brerd Ib. 1788.
Now is it lint, now is it hie on breird Id. Test. Cress. 413.
Thy blis is baneist, and thy baill on breird 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 77.
The cornys croppis and the beris new brerd With glaidsum garmont revestyng the erd 1659 Melrose R. Rec. I. 230.
He, be … his awin bestiall … hes eatin upe the whole braird thairof