▪ I. brooch
(brəʊtʃ)
Forms: 3–9 broche, 6 brooche, brouche, brutch, browche, 5–7 bruche, brouch, 7 broch, 8 bruch, ? Sc. brotch(e, 9 broach, 4, 6– brooch.
[ME. broche; the same word as broach, the differentiation of spelling being only recent, and hardly yet established. Occasionally pronounced (bruːtʃ).]
1. An ornamental fastening, consisting of a safety pin, with the clasping part fashioned into a ring, boss, shield, or other device of precious metal or other material, artistically wrought, set with jewels, etc. (Cf. Fr. broche, ‘grosse épingle à l'usage des femmes’. Littré.) Now used mainly as a (female) ornament, but always for the ostensible purpose of fastening some part of the dress.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 420 Ring ne broche nabbe ȝe. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1273 Send hire letters, tokens, brooches, and rynges. ? a 1400 Morte Arthure 3257 Rebanes of golde, Bruchez and besauntez and oþer bryghte stonys. 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle iv. xxxiii. (1483) 81 An ouche or a broche. 1530 Palsgr. 201/1 Broche for ones cappe, broche. Broche with a scripture, deuise. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (1869) 102 With brouches and aglettes of gold vpon their cappes, which glistered ful of peerles and precious stones. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 620 S. Georges halfe cheeke in a brooch. 1720 Stow's Surv. (ed. Strype 1754) II. v. viii. 248/1 Henry VIII..wore a round flat cap..with a Bruch or Jewel and a feather. 1776 Pennant Tour Scotl. ii. 14 At the same time [Bruce] lost his mantle and brotche. 1877 L. Jewitt Half-hrs. among Eng. Antiq. 223 The fibula in Norman times was more like an ornamental circle of jewels and stones, with a central pin; and its name ‘brooch’ is derived from this article, and its resemblance to a spit. |
† 2. Formerly also in a more general sense: according to Johnson ‘a jewel, an ornament of jewels’. In earlier times applied to a necklace, a bracelet, and other trinkets. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Song Sol. i. 9 Faire ben thi cheekes, as of a turtil; thi necke as brooches. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52 Broche, juelle..monile, armilla. 1483 Cath. Angl. 45 A Broche, firmaculum, monile. 1533 Bellenden Livy i. (1822) 22 The Sabinis had goldin brochis of grete wecht apoun thair left arme. 1552 Huloet, Brouche or small cheyn, whiche gentlewemen do weare about their neckes. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. iii. iii, About her tender neck were costly bruches. 1676 Bullokar, Brouch, a kind of Jewel to wear appendant to a Chain. |
† b. fig.; cf. gem, jewel. Obs.
| 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. vi. (1858) 122 [Ethelthredus] wedded Emme, cleped ‘The broche of Normandie’. 1528 More Heresyes iii. (1529) lxxxviii. b, It wolde be a goodly brooche for vs to loke on our owne fawltys another whyle. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iv. vii. 94 He is the Brooch indeed, And Iemme of all our Nation. 1625 B. Jonson Staple News iii. ii, Who is The very Broch o' the Bench, Gem o' the City. |
† 3. ‘A painting all in one colour’. Obs. (Only in Dictionaries.)
| 1706 in Phillips. Hence in Bailey, Johnson, etc. |
4. Comb., as brooch-maker.
| c 1450 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 583 Firmacularius, a brouche-makere. c 1500 Cocke Lorell's B. (1843) 9 Laten workers, and broche makers. 1530 Palsgr. 201/2 Broche maker, bambelottier. |
▪ II. brooch, v. rare.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To adorn as with a brooch.
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iv. xv. 25 Not th' Imperious shew Of the full-Fortun'd Cæsar euer shall Be brooch'd with me. 1865 E. Burritt Walk Land's End 439 Wheat-fields in their best gold brooched the broad bosom of either valley. |
▪ III. brooch
obs. form of broach.