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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BRIDE, n. and v. Used as in St.Eng., but note the following Sc. usages in combs. and phr.

1. n., in combs.: (1) brides-bonn, — bunn, the cake provided at a wedding, formerly broken over the head of the bride; cf. bridal bread, s.v. Brithal; (2) bride's bottle, a bottle of whisky first broached by a bride and bridegroom after their wedding; (3) bride's brose, see quot., a dish made up of loafbread with warm milk - used in Kilmalcolm Parish for the wedding dinner; (4) bridescake (see quot.). The usual Eng. form is bridecake; (5) bride's cog, bride-cog (see quots.); (6) bride's flittin, clothes, domestic articles, etc., taken by a bride to her new home; (7) bridemaiden, bridesmaid. Now. arch. or dial. (N.E.D.); †(8) bride's pie (see quot.), a rich mince pie, as part of the entertainment at a wedding (Sc. 1826 M. Dods Manual II. 258); (9) bride's plate, A plate of delicacies selected by a bride and given to a favoured person; (10) bride's reel (see quot.); †(11) bride ring, a wedding ring; (12) bride's scone, a kind of bride's cake; (13) bride-steel, -stool, brid-stell (see quots.).(1) Sh. 1914 J. M. E. Saxby in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. VII. ii. 72:
Brides-bonn (bride's cake) was made from flour with butter, carraway seeds and, if possible, sugar. It was broken over the bride's head as she stood on the threshold on her return from the kirk.Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales II. 195:
They war battling wha first to get a haud o' the bride's bunn.(2) Lnk. 1832 Fife Herald (6 Dec.):
The bride and bridegroom were met about half way to Wishaw, and stopped to "taste the bride's bottle," as is customary in all Scottish country weddings.(3) Rnf. c.1850 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) B. 148:
Bryde's brose.(4) Ork. c.1912 J. Omond Orkney 80 Years Ago 12:
In very early times the bridescake was home-made, being a big oatcake baked with butter and sugar, and for luck it was often broken over the bride's head, and everyone scrambled for a piece as best they could. Later it was a large cake of shortbread, cut into small pieces and containing a ring and a thimble. . . . In recent years the pieces of cake were wrapped in coloured tissue paper, and the bridescakes are elaborate and ornate affairs.(5) Ork. 1929 E. Linklater White Maa's Saga 247:
The Bride's Cog was ready for them when they [the wedding-party] returned, a wide three-handled wooden bowl out of which rose the heady steam of a mixture of hot ale, whisky, cream, beaten eggs, sugar and spices of different kinds. From lip to lip it passed among the five or six score guests.Ork. 1951 Ronald Miller ed. The Third Statistical Account of Scotland: The county of Orkney (1985) 225:
The celebration usually starts in the evening and goes on until seven or eight o'clock the following morning. Throughout this period the 'bride's cog' is passed from mouth to mouth. The 'cog' is a small wooden bucket, fitted with lugs and kept constantly filled with a spiced and heated mixture of home-brewed ale and whisky, or any other available spirits. Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 102:
They attended under strict instructions from their management committee to lay off the home brew and the bridescogs, but though the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak. Ork. 1987 George MacKay Brown The Golden Bird (1989) 45:
Even the old fireside graybeard and the seven-day-old child were there, when the wedding cake was broken over the bride's head and the bride-cog was brimmed up with whisky and hot ale and honey, to make the first of its night-long sun-wise circles. Ork. 1988 Floyd on Britain and Ireland (BBC TV) Oct :
A demonstration of what goes into a bride's cog at an Orcadian wedding.(6) Fif. 1831 Fife Herald (17 Nov.):
In the purchase of a gown or a head-dress, or in the acquisition of those commodities that constitute the indispensables of a "bride's flittin'".(7) Sc. 1808 Scott Marmion v. xii.:
And the bride maidens whispered.Sc. 1884 A. S. Swan Carlowrie xvii.:
I'll be yer bridemaiden.(8) Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 59, Note:
Latterly [at Penny Weddings], the neighbours sent in eatables of various kinds, the bride's friends only preparing one dish, the “bride's pie,” the equivalent to the “bride's-cake” of modern days. As with the cake, so with the pie, every one present received a piece.(9) Fif. 1988 Alistair Lawrie et al. eds Glimmer of Cold Brine 47:
From the wedding supper plates of food were sent out for neighbours and friends who could not be present. The first of these was called 'the bride's plate'. It was quite an honour to receive the bride's plate which was usually sent to someone who lacking family connections had no right to be at the wedding, but who had a special place in the family's affections.Edb. 2003:
Ah goat the Bride's Plate at ma big cousin's waddin.(10) Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Sh. Trad. Lore 124:
The bride dances the first “turn” with the bridegroom. Then they “run” through the figure 8 and she “sets” to the married man. After dancing with him, and a “run” there-after, she sets to the best man. Finally, she returns to her own man. Meanwhile he has been dancing with the “mairéd womman” and the best maid. That is called the Bride's Reel.Per. 1830 Perthshire Adv. (4 Nov.):
The dancing was opened by the bride's reel, danced by her, the bridegroom, bride's-maid, and best man.(11) Dmf. 1810 R. H. Cromek Rem. Nithsd. and Gall. Song 242:
She took the bride ring frae his finger An' threw it in the sea.(12) Rnf. 1755 Crawfurd MSS. (N.L.S.) B. 148:
Materials for her Brydes-Scone, orange peil, citron, almonds, clows, cannell, brandie, carvie, sucker, currans, raisins, etc.(13) Sc. c.1805 Rare Willie in Child Ballads No. 215. D. iv.:
Ther was three score an ten brisk young men Was boun to brid-stell we him.ne.Sc. 1874 W. Gregor Echo of Olden Time 116; Abd.⁴ 1929:
The church door had been opened by the beadle or bellman, who was in attendance to lead the bridegroom to the bride-steel — that is the pew that was set apart for the use of those who were to be married. . . . On no account could the bride and bridegroom meet on the marriage day till they met on the bride-stool.

†2. v. To wed, marry.Sc. 1822 A. Cunningham Trad. Tales II. 285:
Many a lad sighed the day he was brided.

†3. Phr. bride in (see quot.).Sc. [1819] quoted in Scott Bride of Lamm. (1830) Intro. 9:
The night she was bride in [that is, bedded bride].