Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1776, 1827, 1898-1928
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BROCKY, Broakie, Bruckie, Brooky, n. [′brɔkɪ̢, ′brokɪ̢, ′brʌkɪ̢, ′bruki]
1. “A designation given to a cow that has a face variegated with white and black” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. broakie; Bnff.2, Abd.9 (brooky) 1936).Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 170:
But bruckie play'd boo to bausie, And aff scour'd the cout like the win'.Bch. 1928 Old Song (per Abd.15):
But I took aff ma hose an' sheen An' I ca'd Broakie throwe the water.Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 56:
To drain the milk frae bruckie's leather.
†2. “A person whose face is streaked with dirt” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2); “applied in Ulster to men who had a rough, coarse, face; generally those marked with smallpox” (Uls. 1901 J. W. Byers Ulster Sayings and Folk-Lore, Lecture 1, in North. Whig, brocky).
3. Phr.: haud the brod to Brockie, a call to press on regardless, to speed up whatever is being done. See Brod, n.2, (1).Abd. 1898 J. Milne Poems 20:
"Haud the brod to Brockie!" Barclay cried, We'll gar the Plain-stanes flee.
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"Brocky n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/brocky>
