BRI 1 



cable well served attached to a swivel or 

 a chain, laid in a harbour, and the upper 

 end drawn into a ship and secured to the 

 bitts. The use is to enable a ship when 

 moored to veer with the wind and tide. 



BRIEF, Fr. bref, from Lat bretia, short. 

 In law, a client's case made out for the 

 instruction of counsel on a trial. Also a 

 writ summoning a person to answer to 

 an action. In Scots law, a writ from the 

 Chancery, directed to any .judge ordinary, 

 commanding and authorising that judge 

 to call a jury to inquire, and upon their 

 Terdict to pronounce sentence An apos- 

 tolical brief is a written message of the 

 Pope addressed to a prince or other magis- 

 trate respecting matters of public con- 

 cern. Such briefs (brevia) are written on 

 paper, and sealed with the fisher's ring 

 in red wax. A bull is more formal, being 

 written on parchment, and sealed with 

 lead or green wax, and subscribed with 

 the Pope's name, whereas the name of 

 the secretary only is appended to the 

 brief. 



BRIO, BRIG'ANTINE, a square-rigged 

 vessel with two masts. The term is dif- 

 ferently applied by the mariners of differ- 

 ent countries. The uncontracted term 

 brigantine is used, especially in the Medi- 

 terranean, to denote a light, flat, open 

 vessel, with 10 or 15 oars on a side, having 

 also sails, and carrying upwards of 100 

 men. Such vessels have been much used 

 for piracy ; whence the name, from bri- 

 gand, a freebooter. 



BRIG'ADE, a division of troops of any 

 kind, commanded by a brigadier. A bri- 

 gade of horse consists of eight or ten 

 squadrons ; a brigade of infantry of four, 

 five, or six battalions. The term appears 

 to have been introduced into Europe by 

 theMoors.but the root is not ascertained. 



BRiOApE'-MA'jroR,an officer appointed by 

 a brigadier to assist in the management 

 of his brigade. 



BRIOADI'ER, the general officer who has 

 command of a brigade. He is in rank 

 next below a major-general. 



BRIO'XNDINE, a kind of defensive ar- 

 mour, consisting of thin, jointed scales of 

 plate, pliant and easy to the body. It is 

 not now used. 



BRIL'LANTE, an Italian term, from bril- 

 lare. Used in musical compositions, to 

 signify that the notes are to be played in 

 a lively or sprightly manner. 



BRII/LIANT. a diamond cut so as to re- 

 fract the light, and display great brilli- 

 ancy. Fr. from briller, to sparkle. 



BRINED. In conchology, streaked. 



BRING-TO. In nautical language, to check 

 a vessel's course when advancing, by 

 arranging the sails so that they shall 

 counteract each other, and keep her 

 nearly stationary. She is then said to 

 MM*. 



3 BRO 



BRIS'TLE-GRASS, a name common to all 

 the grasses of the genus Setaria. 



BRIS'TLES, the strong hairs growing on 

 the back of the boar, extensively used 

 by brushmakers, shoemakers, &c. Th 

 tennis Sax. brutl or byrst, primarily a 

 shoot. 



BRIS'TOL-STONE, ) rock-crystal, fine 

 BRIS'TOL-DI'AMOND, } specimens of which 

 are found in the rocks near Bristol. They 

 are pure silica, crystallised in six-sided 

 prisms, and terminated by six-sided 

 pyramids. 



BRIS'TOL-WJLTER, the water of a thermal 

 and slightly acidulous spring situated 

 about a mile below Bristol. 



BRIT'ISH GCM, starch altered by a slight 

 calcination, whereby it assumes the ap- 

 pearance, and acquires the properties of 

 gum. Made into a paste with water, it is 

 used by calico-printers to thicken their 

 colours. 



BRI'ZA, the quaking-grass. A genus of 

 European grasses. Triandria Digynia, 

 Name, fai^cc, some kind of corn some- 

 what like spelt. There are two British, 

 species, the great and small. 



BRIZE, an agricultural name for ground 

 that has been long unfilled. 



BROACH. To broach, among masons, 

 means to rough-hew. Br cached- stones are 

 thus distinguished from ashlar or polished 

 work. 



BROACH-TO. In navigation, to incline 

 suddenly to windward of the ship's 

 course, when she sails with a large wind : 

 or, when she sails directly before the 

 wind, to deviate suddenly from the ship's 

 line of course, and bring her side to wind- 

 ward, and thereby expose her to the 

 danger of oversetting. 



BROAD-CAST. Among farmers, when 

 seed is sown by casting it athwart the 

 ridges or grounds, it is said to be sown 

 broad-cast, in distinction from the mode 

 of sowing in drills. 



BROAD'PIECE, a denomination of some 

 English gold pieces, broader than a 

 guinea, especially Caroluses and Jaco- 

 buses. 



BROAD'-SEAL, the Great Seal of England. 



BROAD'-SIDE. 1. In a naval engagement, 

 a discharge of all the guns of one side of 

 a ship, above and below, at the same 



instant. 2. The side of a ship above 



the water, from the bow to the quarter. 



3. In printing, a sheet of paper 



printed on one side only, and that side 

 making a single page. 



BROCA'DE, a silk stuff variegated with 

 gold and silver, or raised and enriched 

 with flowers, foliage, and other orna- 

 ments. The name is Spanish, brocado, at 

 the manufacture originally was. The root 

 is probably broche, the instrumen' used in 

 embroidery. 



M 2 



