bruit
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: bro͞ot
ipa: /bɹuːt/
ipa: /bɹut/
rhymes: -uːt
homophone: brute
Forms: form: bruits
Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English bruit (“commotion, tumult; fame, renown; collective noun for a group of barons”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman brut (“commotion, tumult; noise, sounds; fame, renown; hearsay, rumour; collective noun for a group of barons”) and Old French bruit (“commotion, tumult; noise, sounds; fame, renown; hearsay, rumour”) (modern French bruit (“noise; report, rumour”)), a noun use of the past participle of bruire (“to make a noise; to rattle; to roar; to rustle”), from Late Latin brugere, an alteration of Latin rugīre (“to roar”) (the present active infinitive of rugiō (“to bray; to bellow, roar; to rumble”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewg- (“to belch; to roar”)), possibly influenced by Late Latin bragere (“to bray”). The English word is cognate with Catalan brogir (“to roar”); Old Occitan bruir, brugir (“to roar”).
The verb is derived from the noun.
Senses: examples: text: [R]ememberyng yoʳ accustumable proudent demeanoʳ as well in the atteyning assurid knowledge of the intended purpose of the Scotts, from tyme to tyme, by suche good esp'iell and intelligence that ye have had among the said Scotts, as of the bruits and newes occ'rant amongs them, it is the more mervailed, that if eyther any such attemptats have been made by the said Scotts upon the king's subjects, or that any such bruits be in Scotland of the said duke's thider comyng, that ye have not advertised the king's highnes or me thereof before this tyme; [...]
ref: a. 1531, John Galt, quoting Thomas Wolsey, “[Appendix. Book III.] No. V. The Copie of My Lord Cardinall’s L’res, Sent to the Lord Dacre of the Northe.”, in The Life and Administration of Cardinal Wolsey, London: […] T[homas] Cadell and W[illiam] Davies, published 1812, →OCLC, page xxxii:
text: Brother, we will proclaime you out of hand, / The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.
ref: c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], page 167, column 1:
text: But yet I loue my Country, and am not / One that reioyces in the common wracke, / As common bruite doth put it.
ref: c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 97, column 1:
text: Neither can they [vainglorious people] be Secret, and therefore not Effectuall; but according to the French Prouerbe; Beaucoup de Bruit, peu de Fruit: Much Bruit, little Fruit.
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Vaine-Glory. LIIII.”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, page 308:
text: Common bruit!—Is virtue to be eſtabliſhed by common bruit only?—Has her virtue ever been proved?—Who has dared to try her virtue?
ref: 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XVII. From Mr. Lovelace, in Continuation.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC, page 104:
text: The bruits of a treaty between the United Provinces and the United States, are as true as moſt of the bruits.
ref: 1780 November 7, John Adams, “Letter XXXVI”, in Correspondence of the Late President Adams. […], number 1, Boston, Mass.: […] Everett and Munroe, […], published 1809, →OCLC, page 266:
text: And so it had always pleased M. Stutz to expect great things from the dark young man whom he had first seen in his early twenties ; and his expectations had waxed rather than waned on hearing the faint bruit of the love of Ivor and Virginia—for Virginia, M. Stutz thought, would bring fineness to a point in a man like Ivor Marlay, [...]
ref: 1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./1/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days, London: W[illiam] Collins Sons & Co., →OCLC, →OL:
glosses: Hearsay, rumour; talk; (countable) an instance of this.
examples: text: There is no healing of thy bruiſe: thy wound is grieuous: all that heare the bruit of thee, ſhall clap the hands ouer thee: for vpon whom hath not thy wickedneſſe paſſed continually?
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Nahum 3:19, column 2:
text: [S]ome fresh bruit / Startled me all aheap!—and soon I saw / The horridest shape that ever raised my awe,— [...]
ref: 1827, Thomas Hood, “The Plea of the Midsummer Fairies”, in The Plea of the Midsummer Fairies, Hero and Leander, Lycus the Centaur, and Other Poems, Philadelphia, Pa.: E[liakim] Littell, […], and J. Grigg, […], →OCLC, stanza XVI, page 6:
glosses: A clamour, an outcry; a noise.