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

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

Breth(e, Breith, n.2 Also: breyth, braith(t, brath(e, breath. [ME. breth(e, breeth, OE. bréþ, brǽþ. In Sc. poetic (after English) or late: cf. Ande n.] Breath.(a) c1475 Wall. viii. 1189.
The humyll breyth doun fra the hewyn awaill
a1500 Henr. Fab. 2879.
Als lang als breith wes in hir breist
1513 Doug. x. x. 136.
He … ȝeldis vp the breth
1570 Sat. P. xviii. 30.
Gif ony of ȝow sic lyke had loist his breith
a1585 Maitl. Q. xciv. 3. 1.
Till they had drawen thair breath
(b) 1513 Doug. i. viii. 94.
To tak this … ayr and draw his braith
Ib. v. iv. 79.
So clappys the braith in breistis with mony pant
15.. Clar. i. 741.
Quhile that braith them serve
1567 G. Ball. 217.
Thus Princes oft do spend thair braith
1569-73 Bann. Memor. 285.
About foure horis befoir his last braith
1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 88.
Befoir he gef wp his braitht
1609 Edinb. Test. XLV. 349 b.
Quhair it sall pleis God the braith to seperat thairfra
1622-6 Bisset I. 19/7.
My Musis braith … they smoir
c 1680 Wodrow MSS. 4to. XXXVII. No. 20.
He durst not draw his braith for thaim
(c) 1513 Doug. ix. xiii. 80.
The febillit brath
1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 12.
Detestable brathe
1600-1610 Melvill 243.
Feiling the brathe of God

4142

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