brassage 
brasserie.'] A percentage levied to pay for the 
cost of coining money. See seigniorage. 
brassart, brassard (bras'art, -ard), . [Also 
b russet (Skinner); < F. brassart, b'rassat, brassal, 
now brassard, < bras, arm: see 
brace 1 , n., and cf. bracer, 2.] In 
the armor of the fifteenth and 
sixteenth centuries, that part 
which covered the arm, supersed- 
ing the vambrace, bracelet, rere- 
braee. etc. 
brass-band (bras'band'), . A 
band or company of musical per- 
formers, all or most of whom play 
upon metal (chiefly brass) wind- 
instruments ; a military band. 
brass-bass (bras'bas), . A per- 
coideous fish, Morone interrupta: 
so called from its bright brassy color, tinged 
with blue on the back and marked on the sides 
with 7 to 9 large interrupted black bands. It at. 
tains the size of the common white perch, and inhabits 
fresh waters of the Mississippi valley. 
brasse 1 (bras), . [Cf. G. brasseit, the bream; 
ult. = barse, bass 1 . Cf. bream 1 ."] A name of 
the European bass. 
brasse 2 , n. See brags' 2 . 
brassent, [Sc. brassin;*<. brass + -ctfi: see 
brazen.'] A variant of brazen. 
brasserie (bras'er-e), . [P. (ML. brasseria), < 
brasser, brew, mash, stir up, < OF. bracer, < ML. 
braciare (brasiare, braxare, brassare), brew, < 
bracium (brasium, bra-sum), brace (> OF. braz, 
bres), malt, L. (Gallic) brace (var. brance), a 
kind of corn ; cf. brank^.] In France, a brew- 
ery, or a beer-garden attached to a brewery ; 
also, any beer-garden or beer-saloon. 
To-day while Mr. B. was sitting in a bras&erit, a lady 
approached and shot him. 
N. Y. Herald, Dispatches from Paris. 
brassett (bras'et), n. Same as braggart. 
brass-finisher (bras'fin"ish-er), n. A workman 
who perfects and polishes articles made of 
brass. 
brass-founder (bras'foun'der), n. A maker of 
brass or of articles cast in brass. 
brass-furnace (bras'fer"nas), . One of two 
kinds of furnace for the making and founding 
of brass, (a) A reverberatory furnace for large quanti- 
ties of the alloy. (b) A crucible furnace for small quan- 
tities. In this furnace the crucible is placed within a cast- 
iron cylinder lined with fire-brick and set over a fire-pit. 
The mouth of the cylinder is covered with a metal block 
called a tile. Each crucible has its own flue connecting 
with the chimney. The oven for drying cores is generally 
placed above the furnace, and connected with the flue to 
utilize the heat of the latter. 
Brassica (bras'i-ka), n. [L. (> AS. brassica, 
ME. brassik, brasik'j, cabbage.] A genus of cru- 
ciferous plants, including more than a hundred 
species, all of which are natives of Europe and 
northern Asia. Several species have long been in culti- 
vation, and are the origin of a large number of varieties of 
plants used as table vegetables and as fodder. IS. oleracea 
has given rise to all the forms of cabbage, cauliflower, 
broccoli, kohl-rabi, kale, Brussels sprouts, etc., cultivated 
for their leaves or inflorescence, or, in the case of the kohl- 
rabi, for the turnip-like enlargement of the stem. B. cam- 
pestrin is the parent of the turnip and of the rutabaga, in 
which the nourishment is stored in the root, and of the 
colza and rape, which are raised for the oil of the seed. B. 
alba and B. niyra are the white and black mustards. The 
charlock, B. Sitiapistrum, usually a troublesome weed, and 
some other species in the East, are sometimes cultivated, 
chiefly for their seeds. See cuts under broccoli and sprouts. 
brassie, n. See brassy 2 . 
brassil (bras'il), . [See brasite, brazil.'] In 
mining, a name sometimes applied to the pyri- 
tiferous material occurring in metalliferous 
veins or in connection with coal. [Eng.] 
brassily (bras'i-li), adr. Impudently; with 
brazen confidence. 
brassiness (bras'i-nes), n. The quality or ap- 
pearance of being brassy. 
brassing (bras'ing), n. [Verbal n. of brass 1 , v.] 
The operation of coating objects of metal with 
a film of brass. 
Brassolina (bras-o-li'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Bras- 
solis + -i>KB.~\ A subfamily of nymphalid but- 
terflies, confined to America, of a brown color 
with short body and thickened antennae. Bras- 
iolis and Caligo are leading genera, the latter containing 
the owl-butterflies. 
brassoline (bras'o-lin), a. Of or pertaining to 
the Brassolina;. 
Brassolis (bras'o-lis), n. [NL.] A genus of 
nymphalid butterflies, typical of the subfamily 
Brassolinw. 
brass-pavedt (bras'pavd), a. Paved with brass ; 
hard or firm, as brass. Spenser. 
brass-smith (bras'smith), n. A smith who 
works in brass. 
664 
brass-visaged (bras'viz/ajd), . Brazen-faced ; 
impudent: as, "that brass-visaged monster," B. 
Jonson. 
brass-wind (bras'wind), . In music, that divi- 
sion of an orchestra which comprises players 
upon metal wind-instruments : contrasted with 
the wood-wind, the strings, etc. 
brassy 1 (bras'i), a. [< brass 1 + -y 1 .] 1. Per- 
taining to or having any of the qualities of 
brass; brazen: chiefly used in a derogatory 
sense : as, a brassy taste ; the coloring is brass;/. 
Enough to press a royal merchant down, 
And pluck commiseration of his state 
From brassy bosoms. Shak., M. of V., iv. 1. 
2. Brazen-faced; impudent. [Colloq.] 
There's no gallant 
So brassy-impudent durst undertake 
The words that shall belong to 't. 
Sliddleton (and another), Mayor of Queenborough, iii. 1. 
brassy 2 (bras'i), . [Also brassie, bressie. Cf. 
braise 1 . Fish-names are very unstable.] A 
Scotch name of the bib, a gadoid fish. 
brastt (brast). An obsolete form (present, pret- 
erit, and past participle) of burst. 
Dreadfull Furies which their chains have brast. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. v. 31. 
brastiumt, n. A variant of brasium. 
brastle (bras'i), . i. [< ME. brastlien, < AS. 
brastlian, bwrstlian, crackle, as burning wood, 
a falling tree, thunder, etc. (= MHG. brasteln, 
prasteln, Qr.prasseln, crackle), freq. of *bras- 
tian (= OHG-. braston, praston, MHG. braste>i, 
crackle), < berstan (pret. Ixerst, *brast), burst: 
see burst, brast, and cf. brustle 1 , which is a dou- 
blet of brastle.] If. To crackle ; crack with a 
noise. 
Speren brastlien, sceldes gonnen scanen. 
Layanwn, III. 141. 
2. To boast ; brag ; crack. [North. Eng.] 
brat 1 (brat), n. [< ME. bratt, a coarse cloak, 
< ONorth. bratt, < Gael, brat, a cloak, mantle, 
apron, rag, = Ir. brat, a cloak, mantle, veil, 
bratog, a rag, = W. brat, a rag, pinafore.] 
If. A coarse mantle or cloak. Chaucer. 2. 
A child's bib or apron. [North. Eng.] 3. A 
clout; a rag. Sums. [Scotch.] 4. The. film 
on the surface of some liquids, as on boiled 
milk when cold. [Prov. Eng.] 
brat 2 (brat), n. [First in early mod. E. ; per- 
haps a particular use of brat 1 , a child's bib or 
apron, a rag, etc. : see brat 1 .'] A child : now 
used only in contempt: as, "this brat is none 
of mine," Shall., W. T., ii. 3 ; " their dirty brats," 
Tiiaclceray. 
O Israel ! O household of the Lord ! 
O Abraham's brats I O brood of blessed seed ! 
Gascoiffne, De Profimdis. 
brat 3 (brat), n. [Cf. bret.~] A local English 
name of the turbot. 
bratch (brach), n. [The proper spelling of 
brack in this pronunciation : see brach, and cf . 
bratchet.] See brach. Grose. 
bratchet (brach'et), . [Sc. also bratchart; < 
ME. bracket, < OF. bracket (= Pr. braquet; ML. 
brachttus), dim. of brache, a hound: see brach.] 
A kind of hound; a brach: applied contemptu- 
ously to a child. 
The bratchet's bay 
From the dark covert drove the prey. 
Scott, Marmion, ii., Int. 
To be plagued with a bratchet whelp Whence come ye, 
my fair -favoured little gossip? Scott, Keuilworth, II. xxi. 
bratht, a. [Sc. also braith; < ME. brath, broth, 
braith, < Icel. brddhr = Sw. br&d = Dan. brad, 
sudden, hasty.] Hasty; violent; fierce. 
For this word was Saul wrath, 
For oft sith was he bremli [brimly] brath. 
MS. in Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), Gloss., p. 81. 
bratht, [ME., < Icel. brddh, haste, < bradhr, 
hasty: see brath, a.] Violence; fierceness. 
In the bmth of his breth that brennez alle thinkez. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), 1. 221K. 
brathlyt, adv. [Sc. also braithly ; < ME. brathly, 
brothly, braithly, brathli, etc.; < brath + -ly 2 .] 
Hastily; violently; fiercely. 
Beris to syr Berille and brnthely hym hittes. 
Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1771. 
brattach (brat'ak), w. [< Gael, brattich, banner, 
flag, ensign, < brat, mantle, cloak, veil, rag: 
see brat 1 .] A standard. [Scotch.] 
Their forces are assembling on each side, and not a man, 
claiming in the tenth degree of kindred, but must repair to 
the Brattach of his tribe. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth, I. xiii. 
brattice (brat'is), n. [= E. dial, brattish, a shelf, 
< ME. bretais, bretasce, bretis, bretage, britage, 
< OF. breteche, bretesehe, bertesche, bretesque (= 
Pr. bertresca = It. bertesca, baltresca, ML. reflex 
bretechia, breteschia, bertescha, berthesca, ber- 
tresca, etc.), perhaps < OHG. MHG. bret, G. 
braunite 
brett = AS. bred, a plank: see board. ] In 
mining, a board, plank, or brick lining or parti- 
tion in a level or shaft, usually designed to form 
an air-passage or confine the current of air to 
a certain route. Also written brettice, brettis. 
brattice (brat'is), v. t. ; pret. and pp. bratticed, 
ppr. bratticiiiy. [< brattice, n.] To separate 
by a brattice. 
The improvement of the circulation by brattlcing, or 
separating the upward and downward currents by plates 
ortubi-s. Ii. Wilson, Steam Boilers, p. 168. 
brattice-cloth (brat'is-kloth), n. In coal-min- 
ing, a heavy cloth or canvas, often covered with 
some water-proof material, and used tempora- 
rily as a brattice. 
bratticing, brattishing (brat'is-ing, -ish-ing), 
. [Also corruptly (in 2d sense) brandishing; 
< ME. bretasynge, britey.ving, an outwork, etc., 
< bretasce, etc., brattice. See bartizan, which 
is appar. a var. of bratticing. In 3d sense 
directly from brattice. See brattice.] 1. An 
ornamental cresting, generally of open-work, 
as a medieval cresting of foliage, or the like. 
2. Any open-work of rich and varied design, 
especially in metal. 3. A fence of boards in 
a mine or around dangerous machinery. See 
brattice. 
brattish (brat'ish), n. [E. dial. var. of brat- 
tice.] 1. A shelf. 2. A seat with a high back. 
[Prov. Eng.-] 
brattishing, . See bratticing. 
brattle (brat'l), v. i. ; pret. and pp. brattled, ppr. 
brattling. [Appar. an imitative word. Cf. 
brastle and rattle.] 1. To make a loud rum- 
bling or rattling noise ; thunder. 2. To move 
rapidly with a clattering noise. 
brattle (brat'l), n. [< brattle, ;.] 1. A clatter- 
ing noise like that made by the feet of horses 
moving rapidly. 2. Rapid motion; a short 
rapid race. 
Thou need na start awa' sae hasty, 
WT bickering brattle! 
Burns, To a Mouse. 
3. A violent attack. 
brattling (brat'ling), n. [Verbal n. of brattle, 
v.~\ The act of making a clattering noise ; tu- 
mult; uproar; quarrel. 
Her voice that clove through all the din, . . . 
Jarr'd, but not drown'd, by the loud brattling. 
Byron, Sardanapalus, iii. 1. 
His voice sounded not unlike the brattlinff of a tin trum- 
pet owing to the number of hard northwesters which 
he had swallowed in the course of his sea-faring. 
Irving, Knickerbocker, p. 86. 
bratty (brat'i), . ; pi. brattles (-iz). [Dim. of 
brat 1 .] An apron. [Scotch.] 
branch (brach), . [E. dial., also brauche, 
brawche. Cf. brash 1 , n., 4.] Bakings of straw 
to kindle fires. [Prov. Eng. (Kent).] 
brauchin (bra'chin), n. [E. dial., appar. < 
branch + -in for -ing 1 .] A collar for a horse, 
made of old stockings stuffed with straw. 
[Prov. Eng. (Cumberland).] 
braudt, v. See broud, broid. 
brauderiet, An obsolete variant of broidery. 
braughwam, . [E. dial., also brouglmham and 
brouf/hton ; origin uncertain. ] A dish composed 
of cheese, eggs, bread, and butter, boiled to- 
gether. 
braul 1 !, . An obsolete spelling of brawl 1 . 
braul 2 (bral), . [E. Ind.] A blue and white 
striped cloth made in India. 
Braula (bra'la), n. [NL.] The typical genus 
of the family Sraulida'. Braula caeca is the 
common bee-louse. 
braulid (bra'lid), n. A bee-louse of the family 
Braiilida!. 
Braulidae (bra'li-de), n. pi. [NL., < Braula + 
-ida;.] A family of pupiparous dipterous in- 
sects, the bee-lice, represented by the genus 
Braula. 
The family Braulida comprises only a single minute 
species, not two millimeters in length. The head is large, 
wholly without eyes, the thorax small and without wings, 
and the legs are short and stout, with strong pectinated 
claws. These degraded flies are parasitic upon honey- 
bees, especially the drones, living among the hair of the 
thorax. Stand. Sat. llist., II. 433. 
brauna (bra'na), n. [Braz. ; also written ba- 
rauna and garauna.] 1. A native name for 
Melanoxylon Braunia, a tall leguminous tree of 
Brazil, the wood of which is very durable and 
beautiful, and is applied to many uses. 2. A 
species of Cassia. 
brauncht, n. and v. An obsolete form of branch. 
Brauneberger (brou-ne-bar'ger), n. [G.] A 
white wine made near Treves on the Mosel. 
braunite (brou'mt), . [< M. Braun, of Gotha, 
+ -ite 2 .] A native oxid of manganese, con- 
taining also 20 per cent, of manganese silicate. 
