brogue

¹ American  

[brohg] / broʊg /

noun

1. an Irish accent in the pronunciation of English.

2. any strong regional accent.

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brogue ² American  

[brohg] / broʊg /

noun

1. a durable, comfortable, low-heeled shoe, often having decorative perforations and a wing tip.

2. a coarse, usually untanned leather shoe once worn in Ireland and Scotland.

3. brogan.

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brogue ³ American  

[brohg] / broʊg /

noun

Scot.

1. a fraud; trick; prank.

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brogue ¹ British  

/ brəʊɡ /

noun

1. a sturdy walking shoe, often with ornamental perforations

2. an untanned shoe worn formerly in Ireland and Scotland

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brogue ² British  

/ brəʊɡ /

noun

1. a broad gentle-sounding dialectal accent, esp that used by the Irish in speaking English

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• broguery
  noun

Etymology

Origin of brogue¹

First recorded in 1700–10; of uncertain origin; perhaps special use of brogue ²

Origin of brogue²

First recorded in 1580–90; from Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic brōg “shoe, brogue, sandal,” from Old Irish brōce; cognate with Latin brācae “trousers”(typically worn by Celts), from Gaulish; see also breech

Origin of brogue³

First recorded in 1530–40; of uncertain origin

Explanation

You may know of a brogue as a thick Irish accent, and that can help you remember another meaning: it's also a thick Irish shoe. Brogues are heavy, sturdy Irish shoes, and they're usually made from untanned hide. This is a working person's shoe: it's definitely not a fancy shoe or dress shoe. Brogues can also be called clodhoppers or brogans. If someone's coming from behind you in brogues, you're likely to hear them. It's almost impossible to tiptoe in brogues.

Example Sentences

BROGUE, s. a coarse kind of shoe made of horse leather with the hair on, used by Highlanders.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV. by Leighton, Alexander

Related Words

• accent
• dialect
• expression
• jargon
• prose
• sound
• speech
• style
• terminology
• vocabulary
• voice
• word
• wording