Obs. exc. dial. Also 4 brandhirne, 5–6 -eyrne, -erne, -yren, 6 brond-; other forms under BRANDER sb.2 [f. BRAND + IRON.]
1. A kitchen utensil, commonly a gridiron, but the name is transferred to other articles, as andirons (still dial. in Kent), a stand for a kettle, a trivet. See the synonymous BRANDER sb.2, BRANDISE; also BRANDRETH.
1381. Eng. Gilds, 233. Seven dozens of ‘vesselles du peutre’: a ‘brandhirne.’
1411. Inv., in Turner, Dom. Archit., III. iv. 153. j brandeyrne.
1424. E. E. Wills (1882), 56. A peyre rakkes of yryne, and to brandernes.
1552. Huloet, Brondyron, or Andyron.
1580. Baret, Alv., B 1126. A Brandiron or posnet, chytra.
1596. Wills & Inv. N. C., II. 271. j brandeiron, that the kettle standes on.
1730. Davies, in Phil. Trans., XXXVI. 445. The Brand-Irons and Legs thereof were strained.
1886. R. Jefferies, in Pall Mall Budget, 2 Dec., 9/1. What are usually called dog-irons on the hearth are called brand-irons, having to support the brand or burning log.
¶ 2. Taken by Spenser, and by Quarles after him, in the sense of: A sword [= BRAND sb. 8].
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. iv. 32. And with his brondiron round about him layd.
1621. Quarles, Argalus & P. (1678), 100. [He] Vnsheath’d his furious Brand-iron. Ibid. (1708), 122. The stout Amphialus … Up heav’d his thirsty brandiron.
† 3. Brand-iron-wise, in the shape of a gridiron.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 381. Southeast … is thre trees lyke a brandierwyse.
