Etymology: < brawl v.¹

Etymology: probably < brawl v.¹, with which at least it was associated in use: but it may have been at first identical with Middle English broll : see broll n.

Etymology: < brawl v.², or < French branle , < branler , brandeler : compare brangle n.¹

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps < an Indian language (perhaps compare Nepali birāli improvised cloth bag, itself probably ultimately < Sanskrit bila cavity, apparently < a Dravidian language; compare Tamil viḷ (intransitive verb) to open, to split).A borrowing < Hindi biral (adjective) loose, open in texture ( < Sanskrit virala not compact, loose, apparently ultimately < the same Dravidian base) has also been suggested, but is unlikely for phonological reasons. An alternative suggestion that the English word may be a variant of burel n.¹ is also unlikely, given the difference in the types of cloth described.

Etymology: Late Middle English; origin and primary sense uncertain: modern Dutch has brallen to brag, boast, modern German dialect brallen to shout, roar, both apparently recent, and of unknown origin. (Franck thinks the Dutch probably echoic, with influence of various other words.) Old Norse bralla ‘to trick, job’, does not suit the sense. French brailler to shout, make a din, bawl, found in 14th cent. (which Littré thinks a derivative of braire to bray) approaches the sense, but could not phonetically be the source of the English word. Mätzner separates brall to make a noise, and brawl to quarrel, but such a division does not appear tenable.

Etymology: Possibly < French branle-r to move from side to side: compare vamure, vaward for avantmur, van-ward.