Middle English Dictionary Entry

brẹ̄ch n.
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Entry Info

Forms brẹ̄ch n. Also briech, brych & brek, bryk.
Etymology OE brēc (pl. of brōc, corresp. to OI brōk, OHG bruoh); perh. also the ON pl. brök-r, although ME brẹ̄k in N texts can come from OE.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) The undergarment covering the lower part of the body; underpants, drawers, or tights; ~ and sherte, sark and brek; (b) brech, brek, as pl.; a pare ~, a pair of breeches.
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2.
(paire) ~ of maille, that part of a suit of mail which covers the loins and thighs.
Show 3 Quotations
3.
(a) The buttocks, rump; (b) the hind-quarters (of a deer).
Show 5 Quotations
4.
A surgical girdle or truss.
Show 3 Quotations
5.
Comb. ~ belt, a belt to hold up underdrawers; ?also, a surgical girdle or truss [see brech-girdel].
Show 3 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1450(a1415) Mirk Fest.(Cld A.2:Powell)40/83 : Þen anon he..cast away selke and sandel and wered nexte hys flessche an hard here and a broch syde to hys hommes of þe same.
    • Note: Editor's note: "MED brech n. does not record the spelling broch, but it may represent the historic singular (OE broc, pl. brec)."
    Note: Additional quot. for sense 1.(a), new form.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 42/2 : Forto make reed leþere..take þe brasile..and seþe hit in brechy watre; þanne take þy skyn..and alumne hit in a quantite of alum watre.
  • a1500 Sln.122 Artist.Recipes (Sln 122) 118/17 : To make reed ledir. Take pouder of alom de glas and put it in water, and annoyntte þerwith thi leder..and thenne take brasil and seethe it in breche water, and annoynte þerwith thy leder twyes or 3, and let it drye.
  • a1500 Trin-C.R.14.45 Recipes (Trin-C R.14.45) 135/30 : Wassche þy skynne inne a litil alumne water and wryng hit, þanne sethe poudre of brasil in brech water until hit be thikke..þanne drye [read: dype] þi skynne þerinne onys or twies.
  • a1500 Ashm.750 Artist.Recipes (Ashm 750) 256/29 : For mak red ledyr..Tak alum glace and dissolue it in warme water, and wasse þi ledyr in þat water..than tak brazell and put it in breched water, and with þat water..anoynte þi leddyr twys or þrys.
  • a1500 Htrn.110 Artist.Recipes (Htrn 110) 321/22 : To make rede leþer. Tak pouder of alum glas and put it into water, and anoynte þerwith þy lether..and tak brasil and seth it in broche water, and anoynte þerwith þy lether.
    • Note: ?This word. ?New cpd. ~ water. Though Clarke glosses brechy, breche, brech, breched, and broche -- notwithstanding differing morphologies -- as "adj. 'of a brook'," these quots. are assembled here on a hunch that perh. 'brechy watre' (and its variants) is a euphemism for urine, in part owing to other recipes for making red leather found in Clarke: cf. "Forto make reed leþer. Take brasel and schaf hit and put old pys þerto and a litul new and lat hit stonde all a day." (p.73).

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--per MLL

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. breech.

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