Emily Dickinson Lexicon

British, proper adj. [see Britain, proper adj. and Britain, Great, proper n.]

1. English; pertaining to the United Kingdom (see ED letters); nationality of Lady Franklin, whose husband and crew died trying to find a northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean; [fig.] hopeful; loyal; constant; persistent.
2. Redcoat; martial; military; armed like a soldier from England; [word play with “brightish”] bright; sunshiny; [fig.] fierce; striking; impressive; eye-catching.