Brolly, an umbrella. Term used at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Brosier, a bankrupt.—Cheshire. Brosier-my-dame, school term, implying a clearing of the housekeeper’s larder of provisions, in revenge for stinginess.—Eton.
Brother-Chip, originally fellow carpenter. Almost general now as brother tradesman of any kind. Also, BROTHER-WHIP, a fellow coachman; and BROTHER-BLADE, of the same occupation or calling—originally a fellow-soldier.
Brother-Smut, a term of familiarity. “Ditto, BROTHER SMUT,” tu quoque.
Broth of a Boy, an Irish term for a jolly good fellow.
Brown, a halfpenny.—See [BLUNT].
Brown, “to do BROWN,” to do well or completely, “doing it BROWN,” prolonging the frolic, or exceeding sober bounds; “done BROWN,” taken in, deceived, or surprised.
Brown Bess, the old Government regulation musket; a musket with a browned barrel; also BLACK BESS. A suggestion has been made that BESS may be from the German BUSCHE, or BOSCHE, a barrel. It is much more likely, however, that the phrase is derived from the fact that “the soldier is wedded to his weapon.”
Brown-papermen, low gamblers.
Brown Study, a reverie. Very common even in educated society, but hardly admissible in writing, and therefore considered a vulgarism. It is derived, by a writer in Notes and Queries, from BROW STUDY, and he cites the old German BRAUN, or AUG-BRAUN, an eye-brow.—Ben Jonson.