Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BRAN'LIN, n.

A species of fish of the salmon kind, in some places called the fingry, from five or six black lines or marks on each side resembling fingers. It is found in rapid streams. – Dict. of Nat. Hist.

BRAN'NY, a. [from bran.]

Having the appearance of bran; consisting of bran. – Wiseman.

BRAN'SLE, n.

A brawl, or dance. [Not used.] – Spenser.

BRANT, a.

Steep. – Todd.

BRANT, n. [Qu. brand, burnt or brown.]

A species of Anas or the goose kind; called also brent and brand-goose, which see.

BRA'SEN, a. [bra'zn.]

Made of brass. [See Brass and Brazen.]

BRASH, a.

1. Hasty in temper; impetuous. – Grose.
2. Brittle. [Local.]

BRA'SIER, n. [bra'zhur.]

1. An artificer who works in brass. – Franklin.
2. A pan for holding coals. [See Brass.]

BRA-SIL', n.

See BRAZIL.

BRASS, n. [Sax. bræs; W. prês; Corn. brest; Ir. pras. In Welsh, prês signifies brass, and what is quick, ready, sharp, smart, also haste, fuel, and presu, to render imminent, to hasten, to render present. The latter sense indicates that it is from the Latin. But I see no connection between these senses and brass. This word may be named from its bright color, and be allied to Port. braza, Sp. brasas, live coals, abrazar, abrasar, to burn or inflame; but the real origin and primary sense are not evident.]

1. An alloy of copper and zink, of a yellow color; usually containing about one third of its weight of zink, but the proportions are variable. The best brass is made by cementation of calamine or the oxyd of zink with granulated copper. – Thomson. Encyc.
2. Impudence; a brazen face.

BRASSE, n.

The pale spotted perch, with two long teeth on each side; the Lucioperca. – Ash.

BRAS'SET, n.

A casque or head-piece of armor.

BRAS'SI-CA, n. [L.]

Cabbage. – Pope.

BRAS'SI-NESS, n.

A quality of brass; the appearance of brass.

BRASS'-PAV-ED, a.

Hard as brass. – Spenser.

BRASS-VIS'AG-ED, a. impudent.

– Chalmers.

BRAS'SY, a.

1. Pertaining to brass; partaking of brass; hard as brass; having the color of brass.
2. Impudent; impudently bold.

BRAST, a.

Burst. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

BRAT, n. [G. brut.]

1. A child, so called in contempt.
2. Offspring; progeny.

BRAUL, n.

Indian cloth with blue and white stripes, called turbants. – Encyc.

BRA-VA'DO, n. [Sp. bravata; Fr. bravade. See Brave.]

A boast or brag; an arrogant menace, intended to intimidate.

BRAVE, a. [Fr. brave; Arm. brao; Sp. Port. It. bravo; D. braaf; Sw. braf; Dan. brav; Ger. brav, whence braviren, to look big, to bully or hector. In Sp. and Port. bravo signifies brave, valiant, strenuous, bullying, fierce, wild, savage, rude, unpolished, excellent, fine; bravear, to bully, to menace in an arrogant manner; brava is a swell of the sea; braveza, valor, and fury of the elements. The word brave expresses also a showy dress; Arm. bragal, to be well dressed, fine, spruce, of which brao seems to be a contraction. The word bears the sense of open, bold, expanding, and rushing, vaunting. It is doubtless contracted, and probably from the root of brag.]

1. Courageous; bold; daring; intrepid; fearless of danger; as, a brave warrior. It usually unites the sense of courage with generosity and dignity of mind, qualities often united. – Bacon. The brave man will not deliberately do an injury to his fellow man. – Anon.
2. Gallant; lofty; graceful; having a noble mien. – Shak.
3. Magnificent; grand; as, a brave place. – Denham.
4. Excellent; noble; dignified. But in modern usage, it has nearly lost its application to things.
5. Gaudy; showy in dress. [Ar. بَرَقَ baraka, to adorn.] [Obs.] – Spenser.

BRAVE, n.

1. A hector; a man daring beyond discretion or decency. Hot braves like thee may fight. – Dryden.
2. A boast; a challenge; a defiance. – Shak.

BRAVE, v.t.

1. To defy; to challenge; to encounter with courage and fortitude, or without being moved; to set at defiance. The ills of love I can brave. The rock that braves the tempest. – Dryden.
2. To carry a boasting appearance of; as, to brave that which they believe not. – Bacon.

BRAV'ED, pp.

Defied; set at defiance; met without dismay, or being moved.