bran-new

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.

(Teut. brand new.) Quite new.


This word is provincial in the North of England, and is used in colloquial language in other parts, as well as in the United States. Mr. Todd suggests whether the expression may not have been originally brent-new, or bren-new, from the Saxon brennan, to burn, equivalent in meaning to fire-new, i. e., anything new from the forge; hence the secondary sense, just finished, quite new. The Dutch expression is explained by Kilian by vier-new.--Forby--Brockett.

Dr. Jamieson calls this a Scottish word.

Waes me, I hae forgot,

With hast of coming off; to fetch my coat.

What shall I do? It was almaist brand new;

'Tis but a hellier since't came off the clew.--Ross's Helenore, p. 53.

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