▪ I. † ˈbrockle, brokle, a. Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 4 brokele, 5 brokyl(l, -ylle, -el, -il, 6 brokle, brocle.
[A parallel form to brickle, bruckle; prob. by later assimilation to brok-en.]
Easily broken, fragile; frail.
| c 1315 Shoreham 3 Of brokele kende is that he deithe. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 154 Fleys es brokel als wax, and neys. c 1430 Hymns to Virg. (1867) 86 A brokil poot þat freisch is and gay. 1483 Cath. Angl. 44 Brokylle, vbi brysille. 1509 Fisher Wks. 92 A potte that is brocle. 1552 Huloet, Bryttle, bryckle, or brokle. 1863 Atkinson Provinc. Danby, Bruckle, brockle, easy to be broken, frail, brittle. |
▪ II. † ˈbrockle, n. Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 6 brokkell, brockell, 8 brackle.
[cf. prec., and brokaly.]
collect. Broken pieces, fragments; rubbish.
| 1552 Huloet s.v. Throw, Throw out rubbel, as mortar, stone, and such lyke brockell of olde buyldynges, erudero. Ibid. s.v. Rubbysh, or brokkell of olde houses, or walles. 1710 A. J. Eng. Portug. Dict., To carry away rubble or brackle of an old decayed house. |