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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Brase, Brais(e, Brace, v. [ME. brace, brase, OF. bracier: cf. Brase n.]

1. tr. To clasp in or with the arms; to embrace. Also fig.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 135.
Thame thocht the maste costly kynge … in armys can brase Thame bath in-to that ilke place Ib. xxix. 790.
Thai … in armis vthyre cane brase c1420 Wynt. i. 359.
Ilkane brassyd othir samyn 1490 Irland Mir. I. 119.
All hevinly wertuis brasit ilkane vthir 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 89.
The woful moderis … Brasand the postis in armys Ib. ix. 18.
Brasand the godlyke ymage in thar armys 1533 Boece xiii. v. 507.
The king … brasing him in armys, exhortit he suld be of confort(b) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 68.
The help of him … Quhilk for my saule the bitter deid can brais 1535 Stewart 19064.
In his armes that relict he did brais Ib. 45112.
Als tenderlie ilkone hes braissit vther c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 578.
With that he braisit him in his armes 1560 Rolland Seven S. 227/28.
Quhen he hir saw, he braist hir twise or thrise(c) 1456 Hay II. 124/13.
Hald [hir] als nere thy stomak as thou may brace hir a1500 Henr. III. 147/50.
Hir … madinhede God in hir bosum bracis a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 376.
It is wele sett that thou sik barat brace 1513 Doug. vii. viii. 98.
Wemen and moderis, … Thar ȝyng childring fast to thar brestis dyd brace 15.. Clar. ii. 1535.
In his armis … he did him brace a1605 Montg. Flyt. 498.
They bed it … they brace it c1590 Fowler 43/154.
My wyiff whome now my sone dois brace

b. absol. To perform the act of embracing. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 68/16.
Halsand, kissand, clappand & brasand 1513 Doug. v. xiii. 10.
Brasand and halsand thai dwel al nycht and day 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. ix.
To hals and brais with mony lusty kis a1568 Scott v. 53.
Sum at the bairis thay brace lyk billeis c1590 J. Stewart 38/305.
He kist, he claps, he braist

2. To hold, fix, or secure firmly; to clasp. Also fig. ?1438 Alex. ii. 1595.
His helm he can on lais And syne the scheild he can on brais Ib. 4137.
Now Porrus followes … In stirroppis straucht, brassit his sheld c1475 Wall. i. 242.
A wowyn quhyt hatt scho brassit on with all a1500 Rauf C. 552.
Thocht thy body be braissit in that bricht hew a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 844.
That knight … Braissit in birneis and basnet a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1345.
In hir closit, brassit with bandis twa 1513 Doug. ix. vi. 140.
Euryll … hes this jowell hynt, About hys sydis it brasyng 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 938.
Thay haue ane boumbard, braissit vp in bandis 15.. Clar. ii. 1078.
Palexis did his harneis on him brace a1550 Tayis B. 43.
Brasit about with wyld wodbynd Wer bewis 1590 Thanes of Cawdor 197.
For translating of his buffill doblat twys quhen it ves brassit