Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BREACH, BREACK, n. “The broken water on the sea-coast, by which sailors know their approach to land in a dark night” (Mry. 1825 Jam.2, breach). Cf. Brak, n., 3. [britʃ, ?brik]Sh. 1738 R. S. Bruce in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. (1907–1908) I. vi. 218:
In the morning . . . we were at the rock, but the breack [was] great. After sundry attempts made for landing with the utmost hazard, I got ashore with three or four more hands of our crew.
