Obs. exc. in north. dial. [OE. brant, brǫnt ‘high, steep,’ corresp. to ON. *brant-r, whence Icel. bratt-r, Sw. brant, Da. brat; not known in other Teut. langs. Found in literature in 16th c., and still used in north. Eng. dial.: the Sc. form is BRENT, q.v.]
A. adj. 1. Lofty, steep, sheer, precipitous.
a. 1000. Elene, 238 (Gr.). Leton þa ofer fifelwæʓ famiʓe scriðan bronte brimþisan.
a. 1000. Andreas, 273 (Gr.). Þæt þu us ʓebrohte brante ceole … on þære meʓðe!
1544. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 58. A man maye … syt on a brante hyll syde.
1821. Mrs. Wheeler, Cumbld. Dial., App. 2. Our brant fells.
1822. J. Briggs, Rem., 106, in Lanc. Gloss. (E. D. S.). Ye’ll find it a lang way an’ varra brant.
2. Of the forehead: Unwrinkled; see BRENT.
1483. Cath. Angl., 41. Branit [v.r. brante], abrugatus.
B. adv. Straight, straight up; erectly, steeply.
a. 1400. Alexander (Stevenson), 124. Apon the bald Bucipelon brant up he sittes.
1544. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 87. Hawarde … slew kyng Jamie … euen brant agenst Flodon hil.
Hence † Brantness, steepness.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 1. If hee bee a dodded tuppe, yow may knowe him best by the brantnesse of his foreheade, which appearith high and sharpe.
