brough

plural broughs · alternative bruff

1. A halo or luminous disk or ring seen around the sun or moon, and in folklore considered to portend a rainstorm.

   ... broughs which appeared around the moon […]

   1955, British Bee Journal

   4 more examples

   […] about the moon , called a brough, stormy weather is looked for within twenty-four hours; hence it is said, "a far off brough and a near hand storm." If small floating white clouds appear, which are called cat hair, rain is[…]

   1832, Samuel MacSkimin, The History and Antiquities of the County of the Town of Carrickfergus: From the Earliest Records to the Present Time ; Also a Statistical Survey of Said County, page 271

   The corona or brough occurs when the sun or moon is seen through a thin cirro-stratus cloud, the portion of the cloud more immediately around the sun or moon appearing much lighter than the rest.

   1852, Henry Stephens, The Book of the Farm: Detailing the Labors of the Farmer, Steward, Plowman, Hedger, Cattle-man, Shepherd, Field-worker, and Dairyman

   The County Antrim farmers say that bad weather may be expected whenever the new moon appears "on her back, with the new moon in her arms, and a brough round her," meaning by this the appearance[…]

   1859, Robert Macadam, Francis Joseph Bigger, Robert Magill Young, Ulster Journal of Archæology ..., page 84

   Swainson, in his Weather Folklore, quotes: About the moon there is a brough, The weather will be cauld and rough.

   1912, Chambers's Journal, page 527

plural Broughs · alternative Bruff

1. A placename:
   1. countableuncountableA village and civil parish in Westmorland and Furness district, Cumbria, England, previously in Eden district (OS grid ref NY7914).
   2. countableuncountableA hamlet in Brough and Shatton parish, High Peak district, Derbyshire, England (OS grid ref SK1882).

      Synonyms: Brough-on-Noe

   3. countableuncountableA town on the Humber estuary in Elloughton-cum-Brough parish, East Riding of Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE9426).

      Synonyms: Brough-on-Humber

   4. countableuncountableA hamlet in Collingham parish, Newark and Sherwood district, Nottinghamshire, England (OS grid ref SK8358).
   5. countableuncountableA small village in Caithness, Highland council area, Scotland (OS grid ref ND2273).
   6. countableuncountableA settlement on Whalsay, Shetland Islands council area, Scotland (OS grid ref HU5564).
   7. countableuncountableA settlement next to Burravoe, Yell, Shetland Islands council area (OS grid ref HU5179).
2. countableA habitational surname from Old English.