(see below), a. Orig. written as two words. [f. BRIM sb.2 + FULL: properly pronounced (bri·m:fu·l); cf. half full, quite full, and the like; erroneously (bri·mful), by association with adjs. like mindful.]
1. Full to the brim; on the point of overflowing.
1530. Palsgr., 307/1. Brimfull, plain.
1542. Recorde, Gr. Artes (1640), 401. [Archimedes] putting the Crowne … into the vessel of water brim full … marked, how much water did run out.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 67. His Eye brim-full of Teares.
1697. Phil. Trans., XIX. 516. A little Box, which I filled Brim full.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1721), 51. Yet it is always brim full.
1720. Gay, Poems (1745), I. 88. Her eyes with tears brim full.
1860. Kingsley, Misc., I. 173. Rivers … brimful in the longest droughts.
b. Of the eyes: Full of tears. (This appears to be always bri·mful in the poets: cf. tearful.)
1700. Dryden, Sigism. & Guisc., 681. Her brimful eyes, that ready stood … Released their watery store.
1786. Burns, Farewell St. James’s Lodge. With melting heart, and brimful eye.
2. fig.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 116/2. Brimme full of venime against God.
1604. Shaks., Oth., II. iii. 214. The peoples hearts brim-full of feare.
1706. Reflex. upon Ridicule, 292. A woman brim-full with the notion of her beauty.
1794. Gold. Age, in Poet. Register (1807), 401.
| And sing, brimful of thee in tuneful strain, | |
| The blest return of Saturn’s golden reign! |
1830. Tennyson, Dream Fair Wom., 12. My heart, Brimful of those wild tales.
1850. Thackeray, Pendennis, xxxvii. Brimfull of health, and life, and hope.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., II. II. ii. 234. He [Chrysostom] spoke, because his heart, his head, were brimful of things to speak about.
