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Etymological Dictionary
breacag, a pancake, W. brechdan, slice of bread and butter, bṛg-ko‑, bṛg, as in bairghin, bread? (Rev. Celt. 17102). See breachdan.
breachd, seizing =beireachd.
breachdan, custard (Lh.), M. Ir. brechtán, a roll, W. brithog; from mṛg-to‑, Ir. brecht, W. brith, motley, mixed. See under breac.
brèagh, fine, Ir. breágh, M. Ir. breagha (O’Cl.), *breigavo‑s, root breig, brîg, as in brìgh, q.v.? Ir. breagh or breaghda = Bregian, Tir Breg. (Ir. J. No. 119).
† breall, knob, glens mentulæ, D. of Lismore breyl, Ir. breall, bṛs-lo‑, root bers, bors, as in G. borr, bàrr, Eng. bristle. Hence brilleanach, lewd, q.v. breall=bod (Glenmoriston).
breaman, tail of sheep or goat, podex; cf. Ir. breim, by-form of braim, q.v.
breamas, mischief, mishap, the Devil; an e vowel form of braman?
breanan, dunghill (Sh.); from breun, q.v.
breath, row, layer: *bṛtâ, a slice, root bher of beàrn.
breath, judgment, so Ir., O. Ir. breth, *bṛtâ, W. bryd, Gaul. vergo‑bretus, *bṛto‑s. For root, see bràth. Spelt also breith.
breathas, frenzy (M‘A.); see breisleach.
bréid, a kerchief, so Ir., E. Ir. bréit, *brenti‑, roots brent, brat; Skr. granth, tie, knot, grathnâti; Ger. kranz, garland, Eng. crants (Rhys). The Skr. being allied to Gr. γρόνθος, fist, seems against this derivation (Stokes), not to mention the difficulty of Gr. θ and Skr. th corresponding to Celtic t. Possibly from root bhera, cut, Gr. φᾶρος, cloth (Windisch). Cf. W. brwyd, braid.
breisleach, confusion, delirium, nightmare, Ir. breisleach (O’R., Fol.), breaghaslach (Lh.) from breith‑, *bret, *bhre‑t; bhre, mind, as in Gr. φρέν, mind? Cf. E. Ir. Breslech Mór Murtheimme; brislech, “overthrow”.
breith, bearing, birth, so Ir. and E. Ir., bṛtí‑s; Skr. bhṛti‑; Eng. birth; etc.: root bher, bear; see beir.
breitheal, confusion of mind; from breith‑, as in breisleach. Also breathal and preathal.
breitheanas, judgment, Ir. breitheamhnus, E. Ir. britheamnas; from brithem, a judge, stem britheman, to which is added the abstract termination ‑as (=astu‑). From britheamh, q.v.
breo, breoth, rot, putrefy:
breochaid, any tender or fragile thing (M‘A.); from breo.
breòcladh, clumsy patching, breòclaid, sickly person: breódh+ clad (= cail of buachail). See breóite.
breòite, infirm, Ir. breóite, breódhaim, I enfeeble (Keat.), *brivod‑; cf. W. briw, break, *brîvo‑, possibly allied to Lat. frivolus.
breolaid, dotage, delirium; cf. breitheal, etc.
