abread
English
Alternative forms
- abrede (obsolete)
- abreed
- abraid (Scotland)
Etymology
From Middle English abrede or on brede, from a- or on (“on”) + brede (“breadth”), from Old English brǣdu (“breadth”), from Proto-Germanic *braidį̄ (“breadth”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)per-, *(s)prei- (“to destroy, scatter”). Cognate with Dutch breedte (“breadth”), German Breite (“breadth, width”), Swedish bredd (“breadth”). More at broad.
Adverb
abread
- (Britain dialectal, chiefly Scotland) Abroad.
Anagrams
- Abdera, abrade