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.
Quotation dates: <1375, 1375-1390, 1456-1697
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Broun(e, a. Also: brun, brovn(e, browin, bron, broone. [ME. brown(e, broun(e, early brun, OE. brún, ON. brún-n.]
1. Brown, in various applications.Occurring early in names of persons and places, as Mihhyn Brunberd (c 1208), Willelmus Brun (1227), Philippus Broun (1358), Ada de Brounhill (1364), etc.(1) c 1250 Liber Calchou 90.
Partem pettarie mee que vocatur brun mos a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 797.
He band his blonk to ane busk on the bent broun 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 19.
Ryveris ran reid on spait with watir brovne 1513 Ib. 56.
Brovne muris kythit thair wysnyt mossy hew 1538 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 18.
The south neuk of the Broune fald a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS cxxx. 71.
Ȝe haue bene mony beistis bane Vpone thir bentis broun a1649 Drummond II. 59/321.
All blackened now and broone … appeares the moone(2) c1390 Reg. Morton I. App. xl.
Beistis … blak, broun, rede, and braundit c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 87 b.
Hir hare was fare brovne 1546 Acts Lords of Council MS. XXII. 26 b.
Ane broun ambland haiknay 1567 Liber Dryburgh 399.
My Lordis broun bassonit naig 1586 Edinburgh Testaments XV. 215 b.
Ane broun naig by the broun beld staig 1594 Black Bk. Taymouth 299.
Ane brown pyat meir 1629 Mure Son. ix. 13.
Eyes lovely broun, broun chastnut color'd hayre 1620 Grant Chart. 324.
For the lairdis broun hors … in stray and meit 1697 Foulis Acc. Bk. 206.
For a drink to my broun hors(3) 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III. 93.
A goun of broun gray 1474 Treasurer's Accounts I. 23.
The Kingis doublat of broune purpure dammask 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 76.
Our hedis befor the altar we array With valys brown 1513 Ib. xi. xv. 12.
In brovne sangwane weill dicht 1568 Fleming Q. Mary 512.
Ane broun goun(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 19.
Flouris … quhyt, reid, broun and blew 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 103.
The lowkyt buttonys … Blanchit or brovne a1550 Tayis Bank 18.
About all blomet wes my bour With blosummes broun and blew(5) 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 5.
At the ij d. laif wey xviij vncis, and the brovne breid efferand tharto 1588 Exchequer Rolls XXI. 366.
For broun breid and ait caikis, spendit in his majesties hous 1671 Corshill Baron Ct. 95.
Williame Barrie, myller, persewed the persones following for thair abstracted multouris of broune malt
2. In comb. with backit, harit. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 1929.
Bowand bron haryt, on browis and breis lycht 1548 Stirling Ant. IV. 219.
A blak cow, broun backit
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"Broun adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/broune_adj>
