The Collaborative International Dictionary
Brank \Brank\, Branks \Branks\, n. [Cf. Gael. brangus, brangas, a sort of pillory, Ir. brancas halter, or D. pranger fetter.]
A sort of bridle with wooden side pieces. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
--Jamieson.A scolding bridle, an instrument formerly used for correcting scolding women. It was an iron frame surrounding the head and having a triangular piece entering the mouth of the scold.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1590s, of unknown origin, perhaps from a North Sea Germanic language. An instrument of punishment for women, originally Scottish, it was a kind of iron cage for the head with a metal bit attached to still the tongue.Paide for caring a woman throughe the towne for skoulding, with branks, 4d. ["Municipal Accounts of Newcastle," 1595]"Ungallant, and unmercifully severe, as this species of torture seems to be, Dr. Plot, in his History of Staffordshire, much prefers it to the cucking stool, which, he says, 'not only endangers the health of the party, but also gives the tongue liberty 'twixt every dip.' " [Brockett, "A Glossary of North Country Words,"1829].
Wiktionary
n. (context plurale tantum English) a punishment device, especially for scolding women, consisting of a cage to enclose the head, with a metal gag for the mouth
Usage examples of "branks".
On top of the county procedure, so that if Branks should ever wonder or ask, we took up a collection.
I was going to sleep I decided I would look up Branks and tell him that Sam Taggart had been killed by Miguel Alconedo, now deceased.
Ken Branks, in yellow knit shirt, shapeless felt hat and racetrack tweeds, sat in my lounge and took cautious sips from the steaming mug of coffee and made small talk and watched me with clever eyes in a supremely ordinary face.
As I was going to sleep I decided I would look up Branks and tell him that Sam Taggart had been killed by Miguel Alconedo, now deceased.
Dumfries the morn gif the beast be to the fore, and the branks bide hale.
The young wizard was as naked as Alec, and a set of branks had been fastened around his head.
But the branks were locked securely in back and he had no tools to open it.