brismak
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English
Etymology
Ultimately from Old Norse brosma, compare dialectal Norwegian bresma; ultimately related to English bream, which see for more.
Noun
brismak (plural brismaks)
- (Shetland, Orkney) A torsk, a tusk (fish).
- 1804, Edward Donovan, The Natural History of British Fishes: Including Scientific and General Descriptions of the Most Interesting Species and an Extensive Selection of Accurately Finished Coloured Plates, Taken Entirely from Original Drawings:
- The Torsk it seems, from his account, or as it is called in the Shetlands, Tusk and Brismak, is a northern fish, which as yet has not been discovered lower to the southward than the Orknies, and is even rather scarce there.
- 1886, "A---d B---y", "Letter in the Dialct of the Shetland Isles", in George Laurence Gomme, Dialect, Proverbs and Word-lore: A Classified Collection of the Chief Contents of The Gentleman's Magazine from 1731-1868, page 31:
- itt I wiz kummin hemm frae Ska, / whaar I wiz rowin dat simmer, / ee setterdey nycht wi a biudie o' / ling hedds an peerie brismaks, an / bruk o' dat kynd apo ma bak,
- that I was coming home from / Ska, wheere I was fishing that / summer, one Saturday night with a creil [or basket] ling heads / and small tusk-fish, and scaps / of that kind upon my back,
- 1898 April 2, Shetland News:
- Twa brismaks, a stäblin', an' four krooners [grey gurnards]!