Middle English

edit

Noun

edit

brotelness

  1. brittleness
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Merchant's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 1279-1280:
      [...] On brotel ground they builde, and brotelnesse
      They finde, whan they wene sikernesse.
      [...] On brittle ground they build, and insecurity
      They find when they expect security.