braird

[prettygoodword]

braird (BRAIRD) - (Scot.) n., the first shoots or sprouts (of grass or grain) to appear above the ground. v., to sprout or spring up from the ground, germinate.


Dictionaries published outside the UK claim this is British usage, while British dictionaries claim this is strictly Scottish -- since they're closer, I believe the latter. This one shows up with this meaning in Middle English breirde, which ultimately goes back to Old English brerd, edge/spike/corner, from PIE root *bʰerH-, pierce/strike, as in the shoot piercing the ground.

---L.

Comments

[full_metal_ox]

Here’s a Scottish dictionary’s entry on the subject:

https://dsl.ac.uk/results/%22Braird%22

[prettygoodword]

I meant to look up that dictionary, but ran out of time …