Brash

Mass or accumulation of loose fragments variously applied:

• Rubble; Loose broken rocks forming the uppermost layer under the soil. See also Cornbrash
• Crushed fragments of ice. See also Brash-ice
• The smaller leavings, twigs and branches from trimmed hedges or felled trees. Hence “to brash” (vb) and “to brash up” meaning “to remove the lower branches of a tree”
• Stand of trees, often but not always coniferous, where the lower branches are dead and have fallen into a chaotic hatch. See also Jackstraw

Etymology

Perhaps a corrupt form of French brèche: “gap”, “hole” or “breach”

Example locations

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Entry contributors:

Nigel Atkinson