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: 1375-1637
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Bridil(l, Brydill, n. Also: briddill, bridyl, -ell; brydyll, -ell, -all, bryddill, brydle; breddil. [ME. bridel, brydel, etc., OE. brídel.]
1. A bridle for a horse.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 425.
Then off his hand the brydill yhed c1420 Wynt. viii. 3152.
He suld knyt Hys brydyll fast ?1438 Alex. ii. 1289.
Vpone brydill auysitly Thay raid c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 298.
His brydill [he] turnyt, and fra hir can he fair a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 476.
His brydill bellisand and gay 1489 Treasurer's Accounts I. 111.
To the Master of Stabill, for … saidillis, brydillis and odir stuf 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 278/29.
With a brydill schorand him lyk a hors 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 69.
Bestis … To draw the cart, and thoil brydill and renȝe 1540 Maxwell Mem. I. 408.
Ane wattryng new brydill 1612 Bk. Rates 290.
Bitts for brydillis 1637 9th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. ii. 194/1.
Ane blak welvat brydill(b) 1375 Barb. ix. 256.
A litill on bridill thai thaim vithdrew 1375 Ib. xi. 173.
Quha suld at his bridill be 1456 Hay II. 49/12.
His coursere … has bridill gevin till him 1456 Ib. 49/32.
Ane hede-stele of the bridill 1457 Peebles B. Rec. 119.
A sadyl and a bridyl 1494 Treasurer's Accounts I. 228.
To mak knoppis … to the harnysing of briddillis 1503 Ib. II. 385.
For gilting of the … boses of the Quenis bridil 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 26.
The graith of hir pleuch, … bridill, ȝokkis, & bollis c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii. 1035.
At ilk bridill ane proper alakay 1567 Bamff Chart. 70.
Ane fair hors with aparelling of sadill and bridell(c) 1517 Treasurer's Accounts V. 130.
For … breddil and helteris bocht for the Kingis mwle
2. fig. A check or restraint; a means of control. 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 296/28.
Quhar thai haif the maistrye or brydill 1490 Irland Mir. I. 85/21.
Sensualite … obeyis nocht to the bridill of ressoune c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 348.
I wald na langar beir on bridill 1513 Doug. xii. viii. 133.
All kynd of wreth … he Leyt slyp at large, but brydill 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. ix.
Gif it pleis that I thy bridill gide 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 11.
A stay and brydill … to hald bak the wickit a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS clxxiv. 50.
Ilk bangester … With fre bryddillis sall do quhat thing thame lest 1596 Dalr. I. 289/21.
[He] louset a brydle to thame to vaig in … lust 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI. 524.
A brydall to all sic cruell passionis 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 87.
I inclyne to latt him byt on the brydell
3. A retaining band or beam. Also attrib. with geist. 1574 Ayr Common Good Acc. MS.
For dressing of the brydill geistis, vj s. 1587 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 288.
Ane brydill … to hald wp the end of the geist 1618 Master of Works Accounts XV. ii. 47.
For thrie tries of aik to be brydellis 1618 Ib. 49 b.
For … aikin tries to be feitt & brydillis to the ruiff 1633 Ib. XXVI. 2.
Fluiring nailles for the brydillis … of the caiphous
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"Bridil n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bridill_n>
