Obs. exc. dial. Also 3 brodd, 5 brode. See also BRAD. [ME., app. a. ON. brodd-r spike, shaft, spike on a plant, = OE. brord spike, point, spire, OHG. brort edge, margin (cf. BRAIRD, BRERD), Goth. *brozds:—OTeut. *brozdo-z. There was a cognate OCeltic brott-, whence OIr. brot sting, prick, mod.Ir. and Gael. brod, which may be the source of some of the senses. Almost exclusively northern, and mainly Scotch. Cf. PROD.]
† 1. A shoot or sprout. rare. (cf. BRAIRD.]
c. 1200. Ormin, 10772. Nazaræþ bitacneþþ uss Onn Ennglissh brodd & blome. [Cf. Heb. nētser shoot.]
2. A goad, prick, pointed instrument.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Paulus, 543. Saule, Saule … it is … hard to þe A-gane þe brod þe for to prese.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VI. xiv. 70. Gyve a man wald in thame thryst A scharpe brode.
1483. Cath. Angl., 44. A Brod, aculeus, stimulus, stiga.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. John, x. 75. Roddes, axes, broddes to pricke.
1661. Bp. Cosin, Corr. (Surtees), II. 311. For brod [note, or spit] paper at the Stationer’s for the cooke.
1721. Kelly, Sc. Prov., 163 (Jam.). He was never a good aver, that flung at the brod.
b. fig. An incentive, stimulus, motive.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Agnes, 370. Þe wikit geste Fandit hyme … Vith þe brodis of lichery.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot., II. 122. Ire and lust, quhilkis ar two maist sorrowful broddis amang wemen.
3. A prick from a goad; a PROD.
1549. Compl. Scot., iii. 28. Ane ox that repungnis the brod of his hird, he gettis doubil broddis.
† 4. A prickle or thorn. Obs. rare.
1549. Compl. Scot., xvii. 148. The palme tre hes schearp broddis and pikis.
5. a. A round-headed nail made by blacksmiths. b. An instrument for cutting up thistles. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss.
