brank
Americanverb (used without object)
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to hold up and toss the head, as a horse when spurning the bit or prancing.
-
to bridle; restrain.
Etymology
Origin of brank
1500–50; brank ( def. 1 ) of uncertain origin; possibly related to German prangen “to adorn oneself, brag”; compare Middle High German brangen, brankieren; possibly 1550-1600; brank ( def. 2 ) of uncertain origin; probably a back formation from Scots branks “a bridle for restraining a scold”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
No historical particulars are known respecting this grotesque brank.
From Bygone Punishments by Andrews, William
The Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, the Scottish National Museum of Antiquities at Edinburgh, the towns of Lichfield, Shrewsbury, Leicester and Chester have examples of the brank.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various
The mode of putting it on would be thus: The brank would be opened by throwing back the sides of the hoop, and the hinder part of the top band by means of the hinges.
From Curious Punishments of Bygone Days by Earle, Alice Morse
The Leicester brank is similar to the one at Chesterfield.
From Bygone Punishments by Andrews, William
The Rector of Whitchurch has in his possession a brank, which was formerly used by the town and union authorities.
From Bygone Punishments by Andrews, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
