bray1

[brey] /breɪ/
noun
1.
the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
2.
any similar loud, harsh sound.
verb (used without object)
3.
to utter a loud and harsh cry, as a donkey.
4.
to make a loud, harsh, disagreeable sound.
verb (used with object)
5.
to utter with a loud, harsh sound, like a donkey.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English brayen < Old French braire to cry out (cognate with Medieval Latin bragīre to neigh) < Celtic; compare Old Irish braigid (he) breaks wind
Can be confused
braid, brayed.

bray2

[brey] /breɪ/
verb (used with object)
1.
to pound or crush fine, as in a mortar.
2.
Printing. to thin (ink) on a slate before placing on the ink plate of a press.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English brayen < Anglo-French bra(i)er, Old French broier < Germanic; see break
Examples from the web for bray
  • Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
British Dictionary definitions for bray

bray1

/breɪ/
verb
1.
(intransitive) (of a donkey) to utter its characteristic loud harsh sound; heehaw
2.
(intransitive) to make a similar sound, as in laughing: he brayed at the joke
3.
(transitive) to utter with a loud harsh sound
noun
4.
the loud harsh sound uttered by a donkey
5.
a similar loud cry or uproar: a bray of protest
Derived Forms
brayer, noun
Word Origin
C13: from Old French braire, probably of Celtic origin

bray2

/breɪ/
verb
1.
(transitive) to distribute (ink) over printing type or plates
2.
(transitive) to pound into a powder, as in a mortar
3.
(Northern English, dialect) to hit or beat (someone or something) hard; bang
Derived Forms
brayer, noun
Word Origin
C14: from Old French breier of Germanic origin; see break
Word Origin and History for bray
v.

c.1300, from Old French braire "to cry," from Gallo-Romance *bragire "to cry out," perhaps from a Celtic source (cf. Gaelic braigh "to shriek, crackle"), probably imitative. Related: Brayed; braying.

n.

c.1300, from bray (v.).