Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

‡BRED, Bredd, n. Forms found in s.Sc. and w.Sc. corresponding to Brod, n.¹, q.v., in other districts. [brɛd, bred]

1. “A board, a plank” (Dmf. 1825 Jam.²; Kcb.⁴ c.1900).Rxb. 1732 in J. Wilson Hawick and its Old Memories (1858) 70:
Payd to John Pringle, wright, for a bred to hands of clock L.0.6.0.

2. “Either of the boards of a book” (ne., w.–s. Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Rxb. 1862 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. (1868) 39/1:
Caleb repaired to Watty Elder, the book-binder, and begged a pair of “Bible breds.”

3. A shutter.w.Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶:
The street windows even of dwelling houses long ago were guarded by shutters, or breds or windo-brods, hung by one side to the window-cheek, and folded back to the wall during day time; in shutting, these were simply swung round, or put ta, and bolted. Another kind, also in one piece, fitted close to the window frame, and could be put on or taken off as required.Ib.:
“It's growin' dark, gae out an' put on the breds,” or “put ta the breds.”Dmf. 1810 R. H. Cromek Rem. Nithsd. and Gall. Song 64:
A bonnie lad came to my window bredd.

4. “The plate, box, or ladle carried round to receive the offerings during church service: the plate set at the entrance to a church to receive the collection for the poor: also, the offerings thus received” (w.Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶; Kcb.³ 1929). Orig. simply a plank hollowed out to form a shallow receptacle.wm.Sc. [1835–1837] Laird of Logan (1868) App. 487:
Faither, thae fock are gaun bye the bred without paying.Rnf. 1705 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) B. 121:
Twa pennies, to the bredd.

5. “A wooden dish of a scale or balance” (ne. Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). See Bauk,¹ 3, Phrases (1). See also Brads.

6. “The lid or covering of a pot or pan. Pot-bred, the wooden lid of a pot. Ass-bred, a wooden box with handles, for carrying out ashes” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.²). Given by Watson in W.-B. (1923) for ne., c.–w. Rxb., obsol.