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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1768-1835

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BRITHAL, BRYTHAL, Brydal, Briddal, n. Sc. forms of St.Eng. bridal. The form bridal is illustrated only in combs. which are peculiar to Sc. Also used attrib.Sc. a.1810 H. Hecht Songs from D. Herd's MSS. (1904) 233:
Weel, now to help you throw, I'll be at the cost of the briddal.Mry. 1828 W. Gordon Poems 211:
Soon we'll hae a brythal dainty.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 109:
Says Colen hearie haste ye an rin o'er, Your brydal sark is yet unto the fore, It wasna on I wat this seven year.Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Traditions 61:
At brithals, blythe-meats, and dredgies, she is alleged to have ventured a nick too deep.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 299:
Whare stray'd our Minnie, clad i' brithal dress, Whase gowden sheen kiest lustre on the grass.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 15:
His brithal and his burial may baith be on ae day.

Combs.: (1) bridal bonnet, a cap used by tinkers to collect money from door to door for the bride at a tinker's wedding (Arg. 1920); (2) bridal bread, bread broken over a bride's head after marriage and scrambled for by the guests; cf. brides-bonn s.v. Bride; (3) bridal potion, a drink, given in connection with the “bedding” of the bride and groom; (4) bridal-wife, a newly-married wife.(2) Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems, etc. 65:
Now broken was the bridal bread, Owre the bride's cockernony.(3) Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems, etc. 70:
Auld doited Pate . . . Pray'd owre the bridal potion.(4) Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of the Lairds xxxv.:
The minister's come hame wi' his bridal-wife.

[O.Sc. brydal(e), brydel(l), briddel(l), brithall, brithle, also variant brythell (1608) (D.O.S.T.). O.E. brȳd-ealo, lit. bride ale = marriage feast. The form briddal implies an early shortening in the first syllable, and the vowel in the second syllable implies that, through loss of stress, it has become an unmeaning suff.]

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