Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

BRAIN, Brein, Brien, n.¹, v.¹ [bren, bre^ən]

1. n.

(1) Loud noise.Abd.¹⁴ c.1915:
We hard sic a brain aboot twa i' the mornin,.

(2) Voice.Bnff.⁹ c.1927:
Sic a brain that man has (said of a loud singer).Bch. 1929 W. Littlejohn Buchan Cottar Stories ii.:
Andrew Irvine, he was there, He had a “brain stoot,” And ilka tune that Massie pitched, Irvine dang him oot.Abd. 1935 (per Fif.¹⁰):
When a child cries lustily at birth, a bystander will say — “It his a gueed brain, onywye.”Ags. 1808 Jam.:
“A braw brain,” “a strong brain,” a powerful voice.

2. v. “To roar, bellow” (Abd.² 1935).Abd.(D) 1788 J. Skinner Christmass Bawing iii. in Caled. Mag. 498:
Wha was aside but auld Tam Tull, His frien's mishap he saw, Syne brein'd like ony baited bull, And wi' a thud dang twa To th' yird that day. [In the Abd. ed. 1805 of Skinner's Poems (quoted by Jam.²) the spelling is briend.]Ayr. 1913 W. Kissock Sc. and Eng. Poems (per Ayr.⁴):
A coo brainin'.