[f. BRAY v.1, or a. OF. brai, brait ‘cry,’ f. braire.]
† 1. Outcry; a loud cry, a shriek. Obs.
a. 1300. K. Alis., 2175. So gret bray, so gret crieyng Ffor the folk there was dyeyng.
c. 1450. Merlin, xviii. 300. The lady vndirstode the brayes and the cries that the bretheren made a-boute hir.
1552. Edw. VI., Lett., lxii. (Roxb.), 87. You cannot yet ask leave to return … till this bray do cease.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, IV. L iij b. Thrise she sounding fell, and there upon she gaue a braye.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. viii. 62. The Tyrant selfe came forth with yelling bray.
2. The cry peculiar to some animals, esp. the ass; humorously of the human voice.
1650. T. Bayly, Herba Parietis, 37. No brayes of asses, nor of bulls.
1728. Pope, Dunciad, II. 251. Sore sighs Sir Gilbert, starting, at the bray … So swells each wind pipe; Ass intones to Ass.
1798. Wordsw., Peter Bell, I. 55. The Ass sent forth A long and clamorous bray!
1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, I. iii. A snorting bray [of a buck] was heard.
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, I. (1873), 338. The solemn bray of one pedagogue was taken up and prolonged in a thousand echoes.
3. transf. A loud harsh sound produced by natural agencies, brass musical instruments, etc.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iii. 135. With harsh resounding Trumpets dreadfull bray.
1813. Scott, Trierm., III. xvii. And with rude crash and jarring bray The rusty bolts withdraw.
1821. Joanna Baillie, Metr. Leg., Wallace, lxxxi. 9. The white churned foam with angry bray.
1884. J. Colborne, With Hicks Pasha, 121. Unearthly shrieks and brays from brass instruments and horns.
