Scottish dialectal form; to endure, tolerate, or put up with something.
From Middle English 'bruken,' from Old English 'brucan,' meaning 'to use or enjoy.' Related to German 'Bruch' (fracture/break) and shares Indo-European roots with 'brook' (to tolerate). The word shifted from 'to use' to 'to bear with' over time.
Scottish and Northern English dialects preserve this ancient word while it disappeared elsewhere—Burns and other Scottish poets used 'bruke' to give their verses authentic regional flavor, and it's still heard in Scots speech today.
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