Also in 4 briteysing, 5 bretaysynge, 6 Sc. bertising -ene, 6–9 BRATTISHING, dial. braddishing. [f. BRATTICE v. (or sb.) + -ING1.]
† 1. (In the obs. forms): The furnishing of the ramparts of a castle, etc., with temporary (wooden) parapets or breastworks; the parapet and its works collectively. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 191. Þe hiȝest part of his tour is briteysing of charite.
1483. Cath. Angl., 43/1. A bretasynge, propugnaculum.
1651. Rec. Pittenweem, in Statist. Acc., IV. 376. That the town’s colours be put upon the bertisene [= bertising] of the steeple.
(From the preceding illiterate Sc. spelling bertisene, Sir Walter Scott appears to have evolved the grandiose BARTIZAN, vaguely used by him for bretising or bratticing, and accepted by later writers as a genuine historical term.)
2. Brattice-work in a coal-pit.
1866. Morning Star, 18 Dec., 6/2. The ‘braddishing’ or tarred sheet at an opening near him being suddenly carried away.
1868. Even. Standard, 25 Aug. That might easily have been remedied by bratticing or air-pipes.
1883. Standard, 23 Nov., 3/7. By means of bratticing he was able to explore the place.
3. Arch. See BRATTISHING.
