Definition of the word bray

The origin of the English word "bray" can be traced back to the Old English word "bregan," which meant "to grind" or "to crush." This verb is related to the Old Norse root "brœgja," which also meant "to grind" or "to crush." The word "bray," as it is used to describe the sound made by a donkey, comes from the Old English word "bregan (brǣgan)," which was a variant of the earlier "bregan" that had a different vowel sound at the end. This variant is thought to have been influenced by the Old Norse word "brekka," which meant "to break" or "to split." The donkey's braying sound is associated with the animal's grinding activity, as in ancient times, donkeys were used to crush grains and olives in mills or presses. When a donkey brayed, it was likely heard as a sound similar to brick being ground into powder or stones being crushed together. So, the origin of the word "bray" can be traced back to the Old English verb "bregan," which represented the process of grinding or crushing, and its derivatives continue to be used in various Germanic languages, such as Old Norse, Dutch, and German, as well as in English, to refer to the sound of donkeys or the action of grinding.