Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Tawny or grayish with streaks or spots of a darker color.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Brinded; variegated with streaks of different colors.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having dark streaks or spots on a gray or tawny ground; brinded.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of a brownish, tawny or gray colour, with streaks or spots; streaky, spotted

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective having a grey or brown streak or a pattern or a patchy coloring; used especially of the patterned fur of cats

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of Middle English brended, probably from brende, past participle of brennen, to burn, from Old Norse brenna; see gwher- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

An alteration of brinded, probably by association with speckled, grizzled etc.

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Examples

  • Within the last two days they had also observed that the gnoo was not of the same sort as the one which they had seen so long, but a variety which Swinton told them was called the brindled gnoo; it was, however, in every other respect the same animal, as to its motions and peculiarities.

    The Mission Frederick Marryat 1820

  • Within the last two days they had also observed that the gnoo was not of the same sort as the one which they had seen so long, but a variety which Swinton told them was called the brindled gnoo; it was, however, in every other respect the same animal, as to its motions and peculiarities.

    The Mission; or Scenes in Africa Frederick Marryat 1820

  • In colour it was a kind of brindled red, and the hair on its back grew against the lie of the rest of its coat.

    Prester John 2005

  • In colour it was a kind of brindled red, and the hair on its back grew against the lie of the rest of its coat.

    Prester John John Buchan 1907

  • It is of a bluish colour -- hence the name, and "brindled," or striped along the sides.

    Popular Adventure Tales Mayne Reid 1850

  • It is of a bluish colour -- hence the name, and "brindled," or striped along the sides.

    The Bush Boys History and Adventures of a Cape Farmer and his Family Mayne Reid 1850

  • In the shape of their bodies and tails, in their general ground colour, and in the "brindled" or tiger-like stripes that could be perceived upon their cheeks, neck, and shoulders.

    The Bush Boys History and Adventures of a Cape Farmer and his Family Mayne Reid 1850

  • In the shape of their bodies and tails, in their general ground colour, and in the "brindled" or tiger-like stripes that could be perceived upon their cheeks, neck, and shoulders.

    Popular Adventure Tales Mayne Reid 1850

  • Steve is approached by a man who wants to buy Mike to fight against a big brindled pit bull.

    Collecting My Thoughts for the Moment (scratching my head and doing my best James Dean) wendigomountain 2009

  • The dog Eli showed her was an ugly thing with wiry brindled hair and a squint.

    The Bread of Ruth’s Unhappiness « A Fly in Amber 2010

Comments

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  • synonym of brinded, like that loudmouth Scottish moggy at the beginning of Macbeth*.

    * Or, if you think it's unlucky to invoke it by name on Wordie, "the Scottish play".

    But it's time to go feed my own, non-brinded, moggies, Boris and Natasha. Later, wordiewonks!

    October 23, 2007

  • I try to say Macbeth as often as possible.

    October 24, 2007

  • "Apples, these I mean, unspeakably fair,--apples not of Discord, but Concord! Yet not so rare but that the homeliest may have a share. Painted by the frosts, some a uniform clear bright yellow, or red, or crimson, as if their spheres had regularly revolved, and enjoyed the influence of the sun on all sides alike,--some with the faintest pink blush imaginable,--some brindled with deep red streaks like a cow, or with hundreds of fine blood-red rays running regularly from the stem-dimple to the blossom-end, like meridional lines, on a straw-colored ground,--some touched with a greenish rust, like a fine lichen, here and there, with crimson blotches or eyes more or less confluent and fiery when wet,--and others gnarly, and freckled or peppered all over on the stem side with fine crimson spots on a white ground, as if accidentally sprinkled from the brush of Him who paints the autumn leaves." - 'Wild Apples', Henry David Thoreau.

    December 14, 2007