Obs. Forms: 1 brǽde, bréde, 2–5 brede; also 3 brade, bread(e, 6 Sc. breid. [OE. brǽde, Angl. bréde, f. OTeut. *brǣd-an, BREDE v.1, to roast. A synonymous derivative of the same root was WGer. brâdon-, OHG. brâto (Ger. braten) roast flesh, whence Romanic bradon, OF. braon, Eng. BRAWN.]
Roast meat. Obs. (but cf. SWEETBREAD.)
a. 1000. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 127. Assura, uel assatura, bræde.
c. 1205. Lay., 30583. He nom his aȝe þeh … þer of he makede brede [1250 breade].
a. 1225. Moral Ode, in Trin. Coll. Hom., 224. Swines brade is wel swete.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1630. Me mai mid me biȝete Wel gode brede to his mete.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 5249. Beef and motoun, Bredes, breddes, and venysoun.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1049. Þare ware rostez fulle ruyde, and rewfulle bredez.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xxxi. Bothe the birds and the brede, To Carlele thay bringe.
[1535. Stewart, Cron. Scotl. (1858), I. 87. Gif ony beist … war slane, Ilk craftisman thairof to haif ane breid.]
