Also 7 breborion. [Fr.; formerly bre-, briborion; according to Littré a perversion of breviārium ‘breviary,’ whence ‘foolish charmes or superstitious prayers, vsed by old and simple women against the toothache, and any such thredbare and mustie rags of blind devotion’ (Cotgr.).] ‘A thing without value or use’ (Littré); trash, nonsense.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xxi. He mumbled all his Kiriele and dunsical breborions.
1786. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary & Lett., III. 8. Talking to your royal mistress, or handing jewels and colifichets and brimborions, baubles, knick-knacks, gewgaws.
1880. Webb, trans. Goethe’s Faust, II. vii. 164. As when their scruples you overcome with all sorts of brimborium.
