bree: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / Obsolete / DialectalLiterary / Poetic / Dialectal / Historical
Quick answer
What does “bree” mean?
A Scots and Northern English dialect word for 'broth', 'liquid', 'moisture', or 'eyebrow' (archaic).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A Scots and Northern English dialect word for 'broth', 'liquid', 'moisture', or 'eyebrow' (archaic).
Can refer to a gentle, watery substance, the liquid in which something is cooked, or (archaic) the eyebrow or brow of a hill.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Virtually unknown in modern American English. In British English, it survives only in Scots dialect and historical/literary contexts.
Connotations
In UK (Scots): homely, traditional, rustic. Elsewhere: archaic, poetic.
Frequency
Extremely rare. Its use marks a text as deliberately dialectal or historical.
Grammar
How to Use “bree” in a Sentence
The [noun] had little bree left.She made a bree from the bones.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics or literary studies discussing Scots dialect.
Everyday
Not used in standard modern English.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bree”
- Using it in modern standard English.
- Confusing its two distinct historical meanings.
- Misspelling as 'brie' (the cheese).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic dialect word from Scots and Northern English, rarely encountered in modern standard English.
The two primary historical meanings are 1) broth or liquid, and 2) eyebrow or brow (of a hill).
Only if you are speaking in a Scots dialect context, or deliberately using an archaic/poetic term. Otherwise, it will not be understood.
Yes, etymologically they are related. Both stem from a common root referring to a brew or boiled liquid.
A Scots and Northern English dialect word for 'broth', 'liquid', 'moisture', or 'eyebrow' (archaic).
Bree is usually literary / poetic / dialectal / historical in register.
Bree: in British English it is pronounced /briː/, and in American English it is pronounced /briː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"The bree o' the mornin'" (the morning's moisture/dampness)”
- “"To be in a bree" (to be in a stew/trouble – extended from cooking metaphor)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'brew' – you brew a tea, in Scots you might have a 'bree' (broth). Or link 'brow' and 'bree' for the archaic eyebrow meaning.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIQUID IS SUSTENANCE (for the 'broth' meaning); NATURAL FEATURES ARE BODY PARTS (brow of a hill).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might you historically encounter the word 'bree'?