Obs. exc. dial. Also 4 bre, 5 Sc. brey. [OE. bréʓan to terrify, frighten (:—bróegan) f. bróga fear, terror; cf. OHG. bruogen.]
1. trans. To terrify, affright, scare.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xii. 4. Ne beo ʓe breʓyde fram þam þe þone lichaman of-sleað. Ibid., xxiv. 22. Sume wif … us breʓdon þa wæron ær leohte æt þære byrʓene.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VI. iv. 36. A Serpent … breyd þame all standand þare-by.
c. 1505. Douglas, K. Hart, I. xxiv. It culd thame bre, and biggit thame to byde.
1674. Ray, N.-C. Wds., 8. Bree, to frighten.
1750. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), Wks., 51. I’r so feerfully breed at meh hure stood on eend.
1875. in Lanc. Gloss. (E. D. S.), 55. He was fair breed.
2. ? intr. To be terrified.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Theodera, 15. Befor þe croice he [the devil] sa breis Þat, quhene he It seis, þane he fleis.
