brí1, f. (gs. ~, pl. ~onna).1. Strength, vigour. ~ na hóige, the vigour of youth. Tá mé ag cailleadh mo bhrí, I am losing my energy. Níl ~ cait ann, he hasn’t the strength of a kitten. Cuirfidh an bia ~ ionat, the food will give you energy. Bhain tú an bhrí as an deoch, you over-diluted the drink. Ná lig an bhrí as; ná lig don bhrí imeacht as, don’t let its strength evaporate. In ísle ~, run down, enfeebled. 2. Force, significance. Cad is ~ don fhocal sin? What does that word mean? Tuigim an bhrí atá leis, I get the gist of it. Is é seo ~ mo scéil, this is the purport of my story. ~ mo shiúil, the purpose of my journey. Cibé is ~ don mhagadh seo, whatever point there is to this joking. Focal lán de bhrí, a most expressive word. Caint gan bhrí, inconsequential talk. Argóint ar bheagán ~, an argument of little substance. Is beag de bhrí é, it signifies little. Cén bhrí ach gur tháinig an fhearthainn orainn? What matter but that we were caught in the rain? 3. Influence, merit. Duine a chur faoi bhrí a mhionna, a onóra, to put s.o. to the test of his oath, of his honour. Dar bhrí na mionn, by the power of oaths, by my oath. Dar bhrí an bhata seo i mo lámh, (I swear) by this stick in my hand. S.a. guí 2(a).4. (In conjunctive phrases) De bhrí go, whereas. De bhrí go bhfuil siad mór leis, because they are on good terms with him. De bhrí (de)nár shéan sé é, by reason of the fact that he did not deny it. Dá bhrí sin, therefore. Dá bhrí duit gur cheart do dhuine a bheith faichilleach, which goes to show that one should be cautious. 5. (In neg. and interr. phrases) Quantity. Ní raibh ~ éisc, óil, ann, there was not much fish, drink, there. Ní dhéanfaidh sé ~ (fearthainne), it won’t rain a lot.