Part 119 (2/2)

A. S. _braed-an_, to dilate, to expand.

BROWNIE, _s._ A spirit, till of late years supposed to haunt some old houses, those, especially, attached to farms. Instead of doing any injury, he was believed to be very useful to the family, particularly to the servants, if they treated him well; for whom, while they took their necessary refreshment in sleep, he was wont to do many pieces of drudgery, S.

_Douglas._

Ruddiman seems to think that these spirits were called _Brownies_, from their supposed ”swarthy or tawny colour.” They may be viewed as corresponding with the _Swartalfar_, i. e. _swarthy_ or _black_ elves of the Edda, as the _Liosalfar_, or white elves, are a.n.a.logous to our _Fairies_.

BROWST, BROWEST, _s._

1. As much malt liquor as is brewed at a time, S.

_Burrow Lawes._

2. Used metaph. to denote the consequences of any one's conduct, especially in a bad sense. This is often called ”an ill _browst_,” S.

_Kelly._

Isl. _brugg-a raed_, invenire callida consilia; _brugga suik_, struere insidias.

~Browster~, ~Browstare~, _s._ A brewer, S.

_Douglas._

A. S. _briw-an_, coquere cerevisiam; Teut. _brouw-en_, id.; Isl. eg _brugg-a_, decoquo cerevisias. In the ancient Saxon, the termination _ster_ affixed to a s. masculine, makes it feminine. Thus, _baecestre_ properly signifies _pistrix_, ”a woman-baker.” Somn.

_To_ BRUB, _v. a._ To check, to restrain, to keep under, to oppress, to break one's spirit by severity, S. B.; allied perhaps to A. Bor. _brob_, to p.r.i.c.k with a bodkin, Gl. Grose.

BRUCHE, _s._

V. ~Broche~.

BRUCKIT, _adj._

V. ~Brocked~.

BRUCKLE, _adj._ Brittle.

V. ~Brukyl~.

BRUDERMAIST, _adj._ Most affectionate; literally, most brotherly.

<script>