Chiefly dial. Forms: 1, 4 broc, 37 brocke, 45 brokk(e, 46 brok, 6 broke, 3 brock. [OE. broc, from Celtic: in OIr. brocc, Ir. and Gael. broc, Welsh and Cornish broch, Breton broch:OCeltic *broccos, prob. cogn. w. Gr. φορκός grey, white; cf. the Eng. name gray, grey.]
1. A badger: a name, in later times, associated especially with the epithet stinking.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 326. Sum fyþerfete nyten is, þæt nemnað taxonem, þæt ys broc on englisc.
c. 1205. Lay., 12817. Heo hudeden heom alse brockes.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R. (Helmingham MS.), XII. x. The blak rauen is frende to þe foxe, and þerfore he fyȝteþ with þe brokke.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 98. It es ful semeli, als me think, A brok omang men forto stynk.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxix. 117. He lokis like a brokke, Were he in a bande for to bayte.
a. 1528. Skelton, Agst. Garnesche, 55. She seyd your brethe stank lyke a broke.
1552. Huloet, Brocke or badger, or graye beast, taxo.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Sheph., I. iv. 32. Or with pretence of chasing thence the Brock, Send in a curre to worrie the whole Flock.
1786. Burns, Twa Dogs, 96. They gang as saucy by poor folk, As I wad by a stinking brock.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxi. I rub shouthers wi a bailie wi as little concern as an he were a brock.
1869. Daily News, 30 July, 5/3. There were many Highland Chieftains in the yard, some wearing their sporans or purses, made of a foxs head and skin, or that of a brock.
† b. catachr. confused with the beaver. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. I. 327. White beres, bausons, and brokkes [ursi albi, fibri, et castores]. Ibid., VI. 205. Þat place hatte Beverlay and heet Brook his lay, for many brokkes come þider out of þe hilles.
1483. Cath. Angl., 44. A Brokk, castor, beuer.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Bivaro, a badger or brocke, fiber, castor.
2. A stinking or dirty fellow; one who is given to dirty tricks; a skunk.
a. 1600. Peele, Jests, II. 289. This self-conceited brock.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., II. v. 114. Marrie, hang thee, brocke.
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., IV. i. Yell gar me stand! ye shevelling-gabbit brock.
1880. Antrim & Down Gloss. (E. D. S.), Brock, a dirty person; one who has a bad smell.
3. Attrib. and Comb., as brock-breasted, -faced adjs. (referring to the streaked face of the badger); † brock-skin, a badger-skin (in Wyclif app. due to confusion of L. mēles, mēlis, with mēlōta Gr. μηλωτή sheepskin, f. μῆλον); † brock-wool, hair of the beaver (see 1 b.).
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1095. Brok-brestede as a brawne, with brustils fulle large.
1824. Craven Dial., 22. Th *brock-faced branded stirk.
1382. Wyclif, Hebr. xi. 37. Thei wenten aboute in *brok skynnes [Vulg. in melotis], and in skynnes of geet.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 246 b. Goynge about in gotes & brockes skynnes.
1500. Ort. Voc., in Promp. Parv., 53. Fibrina vestis a clothe of *brocke woll.