Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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BROD, Brodd, Brode, n.², v.²

1. n.

(1) Something with a point on, as a goad, a spur (Bnff.², Abd.²², Fif.¹⁰ 1936).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 107:
Fling at the brod was ne'er a good Ox.Sc. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 213:
Its hard to sing at the brod (goad), or kick at the prick.ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore of N.-E. Scot. 15:
Pit a bit upo' the tae, T' gar the horsie clim' the brae; Pit a bit upo, the brod, T' gar the horsie clim' the road.

(2) “A broad-headed nail” (Mry.¹ 1925).Sc. [1826] R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870) 18:
There's a nail, and there's a brod, And there's a horsie weel shod. [Given by E.D.D. for n. and cent. dial. as a short, round-headed nail made by blacksmiths.]

Comb.: brod-iron, nail iron. Inv. 1726 Trans. Inv. Scient. Soc. I. 226: 
50 lbs pan brass and 50 lbs brod iron.

(3) “A stroke [thrust] with any sharp-pointed instrument” (Sc. 1808 Jam., brod, brode); a prick (Bnff.², Lnl.¹ 1936).Abd.(D) 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert x.:
A fan' stoons aboot my hert like the brod o' a needle ilka noo an' than.

2. v.

(1) To prick, to pierce, to jab (Abd.¹⁹, Fif.¹⁰ 1936). Lit. and fig.Sc. 1933 D. Rorie in Scots Mag. (Oct.) 55:
He [a bull] coupit owre a wife twa year come June An' broddit a' her hips.Bnff. 1925 G. J. Milne W.-L.:
I'm a' broded wi nettles.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto Tammas Bodkin (1868) xiv.:
I wad be sure to get my hurdies broddit if I tried to sklim owre.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 59:
His words they brodit like a wumill, Frae ear to ear.

Hence broddy, adj., prickly.Bch. 1928 (per Abd.¹⁵):
The sweetbreer's a broddy buss.

(2) To appear; to show up in a point, as corn when it brairds.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
De hill (hill-top) just brodds in sight.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Da fish brods idda skrüf.