Etymology
Formally, this word continues OE
(ge-)brægd, (ge-)bregd, but the range of senses attested (as Bj. and
OED note), esp. the adv. use in phrases such as those in
Cl (see
MED's
sense (4); cp. OIcel
auga-bragð 'twinkling of an eye, instant, moment') are closely paralleled by the ON cognate, cp. OIcel
bragð 'sudden motion, etc.', and all authorities claim some degree of influence from it. There is nonetheless some evidence for a wider range of senses for the OE n.:
gebregd meaning
'sudden movement, change (of weather)' is attested in the
Phoenix (see further
DOE s.v.
gebregd (2)).
MED also cites influence from the v.
breiden (< OE
bregdan) on the ME n. and McGee (387) notes that the presence of the Scandinavian form (see
breyþe (v.)) in
Cl strengthens the case for ON influence on the n. The PGmc n.
*ƀragða- (cp. also OFris
breud 'pulling') is derived from the st. v.
*ƀregðan- (cp. OE
bregdan 'to move, make a sudden movement, drag, pull, weave, bind, vary etc.', ON
bregða 'to move swiftly', OFris
breida, OHG
brettan 'to pull, tug', OS pret.
brugdun 'knitted, tied').
PGmc Ancestor
*ƀragða-
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
bragð 'sudden motion, etc.'; cp. auga-bragð 'twinkling of an eye, instant, moment'
(ONP bragð (sb.); cp. auga-bragð (sb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
Far bragd, bragð, Icel bragð, Norw bragd, Sw bragd, Sw dial bragd
OE Cognate
(ge-)brægd, (ge-)bregd 'deceitfulness, cunning', cp. gebregd 'sudden movement, woven material'
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
CC3