Brismak

Origin

Ultimately from ,

compare dialectal Norwegian bresma; ultimately related to , which see for more.

Full definition of brismak

Noun

1. (Shetland, Orkney) A torsk, a tusk (fish).
• 1804, Edward Donovan, The Natural History of British Fishes: Including Scientific and General Descriptions of the Most Interesting Species and an Extensive Selection of Accurately Finished Coloured Plates, Taken Entirely from Original Drawings:The Torsk it seems, from his account, or as it is called in the Shetlands, Tusk and Brismak, is a northern fish, which as yet has not been discovered lower to the southward than the Orknies, and is even rather scarce there.
• 1886, "A---d B---y", "Letter in the Dialct of the Shetland Isles", in George Laurence Gomme, Dialect, Proverbs and Word-lore: A Classified Collection of the Chief Contents of The Gentleman's Magazine from 1731-1868, page 31:itt I wiz kummin hemm frae Ska,
  whaar I wiz rowin dat simmer,
  ee setterdey nycht wi a biudie o'
  ling hedds an peerie brismaks, an
  bruk o' dat kynd apo ma bak,that I was coming home from
  Ska, wheere I was fishing that
  summer, one Saturday night with a creil basket ling heads
  and small tusk-fish, and scaps
  of that kind upon my back,
• 1898 April 2, Shetland News:Twa brismaks, a stäblin', an' four krooners gurnards!

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