men, coarse sandals made of green hide; but Shakspeare
makes Arviragus put "his clouted brogues from off his feet," for
"answering his steps too loud." This would rather refer to shoes
strengthened with hob-nails.

BROKE. Sentence of a court-martial, depriving an officer of his
commission.

BROKEN. An old army word, used for _reduced_; as, a broken lieutenant,
&c. The word is also applied to troops in line when not dressed. The
heart of a gale is said to be broken; parole is broken; also, leave,
bulk, &c. (which see).

BROKEN-BACKED. The state of a ship so loosened in her frame, either by
age, weakness, or some great strain from grounding amidships, as to
droop at each end, causing the lines of her sheer to be interrupted, and
termed _hogged_. It may result from fault of construction, in the
midship portions having more buoyancy, and the extreme ends too much
weight, as anchors, boats, guns, &c., to sustain.

BROKEN-OFF. Fallen off, in azimuth, from the course. Also, men taken
from one duty to be put on another.

BROKEN SQUALL. When the clouds separate in divisions, passing ahead and
astern of a ship, and affecting her but little, if at all.

BROKEN WATER. The contention of currents in a narrow channel. Also, the
waves breaking on and near shallows, occasionally the result of vast
shoals of fish, as porpoise, skip-jacks, &c., which worry untutored
seamen.

BROKER. Originally a broken tradesman, from the Anglo-Saxon _broc_, a
misfortune; but, in later times, a person who usually transacts the
business of negotiating between the merchants and ship-owners respecting
cargoes and clearances: he also effects insurances with the
underwriters; and while on the one hand he is looked to as to the
regularity of the contract, on the other he is expected to make a candid
disclosure of all the circumstances which may affect the risk.

BROKET. A small brook; the sea-lark is so called at the Farne Islands.

BROKE-UP. Said of a gale of wind passing away; or a ship which has gone
to pieces on a reef, &c.

BROND. An old spelling of _brand_, a sword.

BRONGIE. A name given to the cormorant in the Shetland Islands.

BROOD. Oysters of about two years old, which are dredged up at sea, for
placing on the oyster-beds.

BROOD-HEN STAR. The cluster of the Pleiades.

BROOK, OR BROOKLET. Streams of fresh or salt water, less than a rivulet,
creeping through narrow and shallow passages. The clouds _brook-up_,
when they draw together