Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BROWDEN, BRODEN, adj. [′brʌud(ə)n, ′brɔd(ə)n]
1. Profusely covered or adorned with.s.Sc. 1835–1840 J. M. Wilson Tales of the Borders (1857) IV. 36:
Had his jacket “browden” with “fowth o' roses” stuck into the button-holes.
2. Intent (on), eager, insistent (for); enamoured (of lovers); wrapped up in (of parents and children). Known to Bnff.2 1936.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 278:
Less browden still on Cash than Verse.Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.:
It's time to wean the bairn, for it's getting browden upo' the breast.Abd. after 1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherd MS. 12:
The Lady seeing the poor youngling's mind Sae browden sett, and to the boy inclin'd.
3. “Impudent” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); “forward, presumptuous, bold” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); “impudent, pert” (Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) Gloss., broden).
[O.Sc. browdin, broudin, (1) embroidered, adorned (from 1375), (2) enamoured, extremely fond (with in, on, upon) from late 16th cent. (D.O.S.T.). From O.E. brogden, pa.p. of bregdan, to weave, make network of, enlace, hence the extension to the feelings to mean enamoured of, etc.; -ow is in Sc. the regular development of -og, see P.L.D. § 66.2. Broden may be a shortened form of late O.E. brōden, pa.p. of bregdan (Sweet).]
