braw

Scots

Etymology

Alteration of brave. Compare Swedish bra (“good; fine”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /brɑː/

Adjective

braw (comparative mair braw, superlative maist braw)

1. fine, handsome, good
   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     This man, so gallant and braw, would never be for her; doubtless the fine suit and the capering horse were for Joan o' the Croft's pleasure.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Derived terms

• brawlike

Noun

braw (plural braws)

1. (in the plural) Sunday best
   • 1839, Walter Scott, The Heart of Midlothian, page 207:

     "Ay, Madge," said Mr. Sharpitlaw, in a coaxing tone; "and ye're dressed out in your braws, I see; these are not your every-days' claiths ye have on."

     "Ah, Madge," said Mr. Sharpitlaw, in a coaxing tone; "and you're dressed up in your Sunday best, I see; these are not your everyday clothes you have on."

References

• “braw” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.
• “braw”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /braːu̯/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /brau̯/
• Rhymes: -au̯

Noun

braw m (plural brawiau)

1. fright, terror, dread

   Synonyms: dychryn, arswyd, ofn

Derived terms

• brawychu (“to frighten”)
• brawychus (“frightful, terrifying”)

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
braw	fraw	mraw	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “braw”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies