To BRANK, v. a.
1. To bridle, to restrain.
Godly Sangs.
2. v. n. To raise and toss the head, as spurning the bridle; applied to horses.
Douglas.
3. To bridle up one's self.
Maitland Poems.
4. To prance, to caper.
Ramsay.
Teut. brank-en and proncken, both signify, ostentare se, dare se spectandum; Germ. prang-en, id.; Su. G. prunk-a, superbire. Wachter gives prang-en, as also signifying, premere, coarctare.
BRANKEN, part. pr. Gay, lively, S. A.
J. Nicol.
BRANKS, s. pl.
1. A sort of bridle, often used by country people in riding. Instead of leather, it has on each side a piece of wood joined to a halter, to which a bit is sometimes added; but more frequently a kind of wooden noose resembling a muzzle, S.
Montrose's Mem.
Within these few years, an iron bit was preserved in the steeple of Forfar, formerly used, in that very place, for torturing the unhappy creatures who were accused of witchcraft. It was called The Witch's Branks.
Gael. brancas, a halter. But our word seems originally the same with Teut. pranghe, muyl-pranghe, postomis, pastomis, confibula; instrumentum quod naribus equorum imponitur; Kilian.
2. Branks, I suspect, is sometimes used in S. as synon. with [jugs] or pillory.
Howie.
BRANKS, s. pl. A swelling in the chops, S. A. from the compression of the parts, as the chops of a horse are compressed by the branks which he wears; the buffets, S. B.
BRANNOCK, s. The Samlet, or small fish generally known in S. by the name of Par. Branlin, Yorks.
BRASAND, part. pr. Embracing.