Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BRO, n.1 [bro:]
1. “A frothy white substance on mossy ground which sickens animals that eat it” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); “a bubble of foam, resembling spittle, enclosing an insect; freq. seen in the grass in the fields, esp. in autumn, and said to cause sickness among cattle; doubtless the name of the insect” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).
2. “Butterwort, pinguicula (plant); full of sticky, insect-catching glands and avoided by grazing cattle” (Ib.).
[Norw. braae, an insect, said to be dangerous to cattle; Sw. dial. bråde, bråe, Acarus terrestris ruber, insect said to cause the so-called tympanitis in cattle (Jak.). For vowel change, see Jak. Intro. p. xlv. E.D.D. derives the word from Fr. dial. (Norman) broe, foam, foamy saliva, froth; Mod.Fr. brouée, steam, mist.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Bro n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bro_n1>
