Bray (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brayed (#); p. pr. & vb. n. Braying.] [OE. brayen, OF. breier, F. broyer to pound, grind, fr. OHG. brehhan to break. See Break.]

To pound, beat, rub, or grind small or fine.

Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar, . . . yet will not his foolishness depart from him. Prov. xxvii. 22.

 

© Webster 1913.


Bray, v. i. [OE brayen, F. braire to bray, OF. braire to cry, fr. LL. bragire to whinny; perh. fr. the Celtic and akin to E. break; or perh. of imitative origin.]

1.

To utter a loud, harsh cry, as an ass.

Laugh, and they Return it louder than an ass can bray. Dryden.

2.

To make a harsh, grating, or discordant noise.

Heard ye the din of battle bray? Gray.

 

© Webster 1913.


Bray, v. t.

To make or utter with a loud, discordant, or harsh and grating sound.

Arms on armor clashing, brayed Horrible discord. MIlton.

And varying notes the war pipes brayed. Sir W. Scott.

 

© Webster 1913.


Bray, n.

The harsh cry of an ass; also, any harsh, grating, or discordant sound.

The bray and roar of multitudinous London. Jerrold.

 

© Webster 1913.


Bray, n. [OE. braye, brey, brew, eyebrow, brow of a hill, hill, bank, Scot. bra, brae, bray, fr. AS. brw eyebrow, influenced by the allied Icel. br eyebrow, bank, also akin to AS. br yebrow. See Brow.]

A bank; the slope of a hill; a hill. See Brae, which is now the usual spelling.

[North of Eng. & Scot.]

Fairfax.

 

© Webster 1913.