of the Gaelic language.
47
Eng. rain, is unsatisfactory. Stokes derives it from root ver (see fearthuinn), *vroen, but unlikely.
braonan, praonan, an earth‑nut, bunium flexuosum. Perhaps from braon, a drop—"a bead, nut".
bras, brais, active, rash, Ir. bras, E. Ir. bras, W. brys, haste: *bṛsto‑, I. E. ꬶredh‑, as in greas, q.v.? See also brisg, active.
brasailt a panegyric (M‘A.); E. Ir. bras-scélach, panegyrical; from O. Ir. bras, great, W. and Br. bras; cf. Lat. grossus, Eng. gross. See braisleach.
brat, a mantle, Ir. brat, O. Ir. bratt, W. brethyn, woollen cloth, Br. broz, petticoat, *bratto‑, *brat-to‑. For root brat, brant, see bréid. Ag. S. bratt, pallium, is borrowed from the Celtic. Hence bratach, flag.
bratag, the furry or grass caterpillar, Ir. bratóg, "the mantled one", from brat. Cf. caterpillar = "downy cat", by derivation.
brath, information, betrayal, Ir. brath, E. Ir. brath, treason, and mrath also, W. brad, treachery, Cor. bras, Br. barat, O. Br. brat, *mrato‑; Gr. ἁμαρτάνω (‑μαρτ‑), sin, miss, ἤμβροτον (past tense). Cf. mearachd. M. Ir. mairned, treachery.
bràth, judgement, gu bràth, for ever (pron. gu bràch) "till Judgment", so Ir., O. Ir. bráth, judgment, W. brawd, M. Br. breut, Gaul. bratu‑, *brâtu‑; *brâ, *bera, judge, decide, from I. E. bher, in the sense of “say”, as in abair. The Ir. barn, judge, and W. barn, judgment, are hence, and may be compared to Gr. φρήν, φρένες, soul, phrenology. Hence also breath, or breith (*bṛt‑), q.v. The sense "conflagration" given in the Dict. is due to “Druidic” theorisings, and is imaginary.
bràthair, brother, Ir. bráthair, O. Ir. bráthir, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Cor. broder, pl. bredereth, Br. breur, breuzr, pl. breudeur, *brâtêr; Lat. frâter; Eng. brother; Skr. bhrā́ta; etc.
breab, a kick, Ir. preab, M. Ir. prebach, kicking; perhaps from the root form of the following word.
breaban, a patch of leather, Ir. preabán, parcel, piece, patch; from, or allied to, O. Fr. bribe, a piece of bread, alms, Sp. briba, alms; also O. Fr. bribeur, mendicant, briberesse, female vagabondage and harloting; cf. Ir. preabóg, a wenching jade (O’B.). Eng. bribe is from the French.
breac, speckled, so Ir., E. Ir. brecc, W. brych, Br. brec'h, smallpox, *mṛkko‑s, *mṛg-ko‑, root mṛꬶ; Lit. márgas, speckled, pied; Gr. ἀμαρύσσω, twinkle. There is an O. Ir. mrecht, W. brith, of like meaning and origin, viz. mṛk-to, from mṛg-to‑. Hence breac, smallpox, W. brech, and breac, trout, W. brithyll.
breacan, plaid, Ir. breacán, W. brecan, rug; from breac. Rhys regards W. as borrowed from Irish.
breac‑shianain, freckles:
