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.
Brig, Bryg, n. Also: brige, brigge, bryge, breg(e, breig. [Northern ME. brig(g, bryg(g, bregg, ON. bryggja, ‘landing-stage, gangway’ , replacing OE. brycg ‘bridge’.]
1. A bridge over a stream, gutter, etc.Early examples occur in place-names, as Prestesbrige (c 1150), Risibrigg (c 1240), Hatherbrig, Scatbrig or -breg, and as a first element in Brigham (c 1190), Briggate (c 1266), Brighous (1337; cf. Barb. xvii. 409), Bryghend (1359).(a) 1375 Barb. x. 86.
Ane vattir … deip & wyde That men in na place mycht it pas Bot at ane brig 1456 Hay I. 115/17.
That nane be perist at … passagis, na ryveris, na wayke briggis 1459 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 22.
The biggyne of the brigg on the vater of Dee 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 333.
To ane pur wif, at the brig of Dersee, as the King raid by … viij d. 1509 Reg. Episc. Glasg. 523.
I leif twa schillyngis of annuall … to be … varit on the said briggis 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
Ane substantious brig of fyn aistlar stane and lym 1535 Stewart 37916.
Husband men to Stirling … Suld pas and keip that stalwart brig of stone 1542 Reg. Privy S. II. 428/2.
Payand tharefor ȝeirlie vi lastis of hering … at the brig of Glasgow 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 287.
For thre flagstanis to be ane brig at the myidds of the calsay 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 188.
The prouerb is: of palice, kirk and brig, Better in tyme to beit nor efter to big 1582 Conv. Burghs I. 151.
For vpbigging of the dekayitt brig of the said tovne of Irrowyne 1596 Dalr. I. 15/29.
An ornate brig of astlare warke 1621 Perth Kirk S. 298.
The brig of Tay was hailly dung down 1631–2 Peebles B. Rec. 418.
For casting of four thowsand faill to cover the ledges of Pebles brig 1668 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 285.
Sir Gilbert did engage himself … at the Brigge of Diefig. 15.. Christis Kirk 134 (B).
With bowgaris of barnis … thay of bernis maid briggis(b) c1420 Wynt. iv. 874.
That kyng, that fyrst gert byg Wytht schyppys oure the flud a brige 1533 Boece b.
How Agricola sett ane brige apoun Tay 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 302.
To cum out, in most warrelyke maner, … to the brige of Evan 1588 Cath. Tr. 198.
At the brige callit frome hir brige of S. Maxence 1634 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 21.
To the help of building and repairing of Perstoun brige 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II. 6.
That consideratione be taken for the tounes upholding of the briges and scoole(c) a1400 Leg. S. iv. 301.
On a bryge as thai can ryd, … The bryge brak Ib. xix. 198.
Thare is nothyre bryg na bat To fery men oure that flud 1402 Dundee Chart. 18.
Qwhil thai come to the bryg of Perth c1420 Wynt. iv. 442.
Scho gert bath bryg and fwrde be hale 1453 Misc. Spald. C. V. 49.
xii. stane and a half of irne to the bryg c1475 Wall. v. 303.
Gret power wok at Stirlyng bryg of tre 1491 Treas. Acc. I. 183.
To the massonis of the bryg off Ayre 1496 Ib. 249.
For beryng of twa wall of erne to the bryg of Glasgwe 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 177.
The haill consell ordanis … to byg ane bryg of tre our the pot burne c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3180.
The Quene ouerthort the flude sche raid On bryggis quhilkis wer of botis maid(d) 1554 Peebles B. Rec. 411.
For viij dayis lawbor at the breig and at the croce 1565 Prestwick B. Rec. 68.
At scho was tane wyth ane cabok of cheys one the breg of Ayr
b. Attrib. with ege (edge). 1556 Peebles B. Rec. 235.
The inqueist ordanis to gar gadder stanis to Peblis brig egis
2. A drawbridge or fall-bridge. 1375 Barb. xv. 134.
Thai that within the castell weir … syne the brig avaled doune Ib. xvii. 405.
A brig thai had, for till lat fall Richt fra the bat apon the vall c1420 Wynt. ix. 684.
At the barreris he faucht sa welle, That on thare bryg he slw a man c1475 Wall. i. 91.
Corspatryk rais, … Leit breggis doun, and portcules thai drew Ib. iv. 226.
The bryg was doun at that entre suld kepe
3. A gangway for a boat. 1425 Acts I. 10/2.
That all batemen ande feriaris … sall haue for ilk bate a treyn brig quhare with thai may resaif within thar batis traualouris hors 1622-6 Bisset II. 212/12.]
[Ferrie boittis suld have brigis for ressaving of horse
4. A connecting part of a mechanism or implement. 1538 M. Works Acc. V. 38 b.
For ane new ke with brig & platis thairtill 1539 Ayr Common Good Acc. MS.
For making & mending of mattokis, schulis, flakis, barrowis, cartis, skupis, & briggis to ye working 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 567.
Tua new keyis to the samin [lock] with ane new brig and ane bak sprent … to the samin 1681 Irvine Mun. II. 288.
To Iohn Gardner ffor making new girthes to the thrie new pecks and briges and pricks to thame
5. The bridge of the nose. 16.. Hist. Kennedy 17.
I dreid ȝe vill (tyne ?) sum wther joynt, of the glengoir, as ȝe did the brig of ȝour neise, the last time ȝe war thair
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"Brig n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/brig_n>