Forms: 3–7 brimme, brymme, 3–6 brym, 3, 7 brime, 6 bryme, 7 brimm, 4– brim. [ME. brimme, brymme, of uncertain etymology: cf. ON. barmr brim, Ger. bräme fem. ‘margin, border, fringe,’ MHG. brem str. neut. ‘edging, border.’]
I. orig. The border, margin, edge or brink.
† 1. of the sea, or any piece of water: Coast, shore, bank, brink. (Now only as a transferred application of 4.)
c. 1205. Lay., 4472. His cniþtes … to þare sæ færden, þar laien bi þan brimme.
a. 1300. K. Horne, 196. Ure schip bigan to swymme To þis londes brymme.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. xii. (1495), 447. In the brymme of the deed see groweth most fayr apples.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), Ll ij. The flud of Nyle shulde flowe ouer his brymmes.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, II. xxxvi. § 16. 249. The bayche and brimmes of the sea.
1856. Bryant, Ages, xxviii. His willing waves yon bright blue bay Sends up, to kiss his decorated brim.
† b. In this sense formerly used without any defining addition. (Now only by ellipsis.)
c. 1275. Lay., 17030. Þe cnihtes hine funde Þar he sat bi brimme [c. 1205 stronden].
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 365. Watz no brymme þat abod vnbrosten bylyue.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIV. 339. In a richt fair place. Lawch by a brym.
c. 1460. Emare, 349. A boot he fond by the brym.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. iii. 34. Whenas Calepine came to the brim … His heart with vengeance inwardly did swell.
1830. Tennyson, Arab. Nts., 16. The citron-shadows in the blue: By garden porches on the brim, The costly doors flung open wide.
† 2. of other things. Obs., arch. or dial.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xxiii. 57. On the brimme of the dykes … he caused to stryke of the heedes of all the prisoners.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. xxii. 173. Like to the common Belfloure, but … not so deepely cut about the brimmes or edges.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. iii. 34. Upon the brim of his brode-plated shield.
1591. Lyly, Sapho, II. iv. 179. Let thy love hang at thy hearts bottome, not at the tongues brimme.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 394. Escars that grow about the brims of vlcers.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, cxxx. The flowers … of a whitish colour washed about the brims with a little light carnation.
1716. Lond. Gaz., No. 5470/4. The Brims of the Ears black.
1862. Barnes, Rhymes Dorset Dial., II. 185. E vell vrom the brim Ov a cliff.
† b. An edging or border (distinct from the surface).
a. 1610. Fletcher, Faithf. Sheph., IV. i. 225. A brim Of sailing Pines that edge yon Mountain in.
1732. Acc. Workhouses, 56. A slate with broad brims.
† 3. fig. The ‘brink’ (of despair, the grave, etc.).
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Rom., Prol. Brought unto the very brymme of desperacion.
1622. A. Court, Constancie, I. 48. The quarrels … haue brought him to the brimme of his graue.
1641. Milton, Prel. Episc. (1851), 80. This cited place lyes upon the very brimme of a noted corruption.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. viii. 75. He … is at the margin and brim of that state of finall reprobation.
II. 4. Now esp. The edge, margin, or ‘lip’ of a cup, bowl, basin, or anything of similar shape artificial or natural. (Formerly often pl.)
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 54. Better spare at brym than at bottem.
1570. Levins, Manip., 131. Ye Brim of a cup, labrum.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 93/2. Under the brim of his scull.
1611. Bible, 2 Chron. iv. 2. He made a molten Sea of ten cubites, from brim to brim.
a. 1695. Wood, Life (1848), 260. A vessel or a bason notched at the brimms.
1718. J. Chamberlayne, Relig. Philos. (1730), II. xvii. § 40. They will see it run over the Brims of the Glass like bottled Beer.
1810. Encycl. Lond., I. 646/2. From the brim of the pelvis upwards.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol. (1875), I. II. xxv. 622. On arriving at the brim of the Crater.
b. in full to the brim, and the like. Often fig.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. iv. 48. To make the comming houre oreflow with joy, And pleasure drowne the brim. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., III. xiii. 18. He will fill thy wishes to the brimme. Ibid. (1608), Per., II. iii. 50. A cup that’s stored unto the brim.
1782. Han. More, Belshaz., II. 74. Fill me that massy goblet to the brim.
1814. Cary, Dante’s Inf., VI. 6. Thy city, heap’d with envy to the brim.
1875. B. Taylor, Faust, I. vi. 111. Quickly fill the beaker to the brim.
5. The upper edge or surface of water. arch. or poetic.
a. 1552. Leland, in Sat. Rev., 13 Dec. (1885), 802. [Bremes] ons frayed approach not in the bryme of the water that yere agayne.
1571. Digges, Pantom., III. xiv. S ij b. Marke … where the brimme of the water now toucheth.
1611. Bible, Josh. iii. 15. The feet of the Priestes … were dipped in the brimme of the water.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Bergerac’s Com. Hist., I. 168. They are Fish [Remora] that never rise to the brim of the Water.
1808. Scott, Marm., VI. xv. Not lighter does the swallow skim Along the smooth lake’s level brim.
† b. The surface of the ground. Obs.
1572. J. Jones, Bathes of Bath, II. 11 b. Neither is the place of the fyre under the brimme of the earth.
6. The projecting edge or marginal rim of a hat.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 1089. His bonnet on, Under whose brim the gaudy sun would peep.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 12. The broad Brim of a good Hat.
1665–9. Boyle, Occas. Refl., IV. xix. (1675), 279. Upon ones Drinking Water out of the Brims of his Hat.
1716–8. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xxxviii. 154. A high-crowned hat without brims.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. x. 332. They sometimes invert the hat, and wear it brim uppermost.
7. techn. ? The thickened marginal portion, or ‘sound-bow,’ of a bell.
[1697. Dampier, Voy., I. (1729), 411. In the middle of the Floor stood a rusty Iron Bell on its Brims.]
a. 1849. J. C. Mangan, Poems (1859), 47. Brim and rim it gleams.
1872. Ellacombe, Bells of Ch., i. 5. A bell should measure: in diameter at the mouth, fifteen brims; in height to the shoulder, twelve brims.
8. Naut. (See quot.)
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Rim, or Brim, a name given to the circular edge of any of the tops.
1867. in Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk.
9. Comb., as brim-charged, filled to the brim.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 87. Anchises a goold boul massye becrowning With wyne brym charged.
