Any structure or contrivance, as a mole, or a wall at the mouth of a harbor, to break the force of waves, and afford protection from their violence.

To clean, as a ship's bottom of adherent shells, seaweed, etc., by the application of fire and scraping.

To meet, with the breast; to struggle with or oppose manfully; as, to breast the storm or waves.

A torus.

Deep as from the breast to the feet; as high as the breast.

High as the breast.

A band for the breast. Specifically: (Naut.) A band of canvas, or a rope, fastened at both ends to the rigging, to support the man who heaves the lead in sounding.

The front transverse beam of a locomotive.

The bone of the breast; the sternum.

Having a breast; -- used in composition with qualifying words, in either a literal or a metaphorical sense; as, a single-breasted coat.

A large rope to fasten the midship part of a ship to a wharf, or to another vessel.

The interior slope of a fortification, against which the garrison lean in firing.

A thick piece of timber in the form of a knee, placed across the stem of a ship to strengthen the fore part and unite the bows on each side.

The curved channel in which a breast wheel turns. It is closely adapted to the curve of the wheel through about a quarter of its circumference, and prevents the escape of the water until it has spent its force upon the wheel. See Breast wheel.

A knot of ribbons worn on the breast.

A pin worn on the breast for a fastening, or for ornament; a brooch.

A plate of metal covering the breast as defensive armor.

A kind of plow, driven by the breast of the workman; -- used to cut or pare turf.

The upper rail of any parapet of ordinary height, as of a balcony; the railing of a quarter-deck, etc.

See Breastband.

A summer or girder extending across a building flush with, and supporting, the upper part of a front or external wall; a long lintel; a girder; -- used principally above shop windows.

A water wheel, on which the stream of water strikes neither so high as in the overshot wheel, nor so low as in the undershot, but generally at about half the height of the wheel, being kept in contact with it by the breasting. The water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight.

A defensive work of moderate height, hastily thrown up, of earth or other material.

The air inhaled and exhaled in respiration; air which, in the process of respiration, has parted with oxygen and has received carbonic acid, aqueous vapor, warmth, etc.

Such as can be breathed.

State of being breathable.

to test the alcohol content of someone's blood by means of a breathalyzer.

a device that measures alcohol content of a person's breath.

To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire.

uttered without voice.

One who breathes. One who lives. One who utters. One who animates or inspires.

Full of breath; full of odor; fragrant.

Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.

Spent with labor or violent action; out of breath.

In a breathless manner.

The state of being breathless or out of breath.

A rock composed of angular fragments either of the same mineral or of different minerals, etc., united by a cement, and commonly presenting a variety of colors.

Consisting of angular fragments cemented together; resembling breccia in appearance.

imp. p. p. of Breed.

A braid.

To put into, or clothe with, breeches.

Receiving the charge at the breech instead of at the muzzle.

The movable piece which closes the breech of a breech-loading firearm, and resists the backward force of the discharge. It is withdrawn for the insertion of a cartridge, and closed again before the gun is fired.

A cloth worn around the breech.

covering for the loins.

dressed in trousers.

A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes.

A whipping on the breech, or the act of whipping on the breech.

A firearm which receives its load at the breech.

A race or variety of men or other animals (or of plants), perpetuating its special or distinctive characteristics by inheritance.

One who breeds or originates quarrels.

Breadth.

One who, or that which, breeds, produces, brings up, etc.

The act or process of generating or bearing.

To blow gently.

A fly of various species, of the family Tabanid/, noted for buzzing about animals, and tormenting them by sucking their blood; -- called also horsefly, and gadfly. They are among the largest of two-winged or dipterous insects. The name is also given to different species of botflies.

Motionless; destitute of breezes.

State of being breezy.

Characterized by, or having, breezes; airy.

The point of junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures of the skull.

An ancient Irish or Scotch judge.

A French gambling game somewhat like poker. In French games, a pair royal, or triplet.

A seal or charm for a watch chain.

Fierce; sharp; severe; cruel.

Bran.

A tribute which tenants paid to their lord, in lieu of bran, which they were obliged to furnish for his hounds.

To burn.

Burningly; ardently.

the time at which the engines of a rocket stop firing; the termination of the firing of the rocket engines, whether due to intentional shutdown of the engines or exhaustion of the fuel. This term was used mostly in the early days of rocketry when only one firing sequence occurred for rockets, which were used as ballistic missiles or for experiments in rocketry or atmospheric science.

A brant. See Brant.

A brier.

for Bursteth.

To burst.

See Breastsummer.

See Birt.

Brimful.

pl. of Brother.

Of or relating to Brittany, or Bretagne, in France. A native or inhabitant of Brittany, or Bretagne, in France; also, the ancient language of Brittany; Armorican.

Same as Britzska.

The wooden boarding used in supporting the roofs and walls of coal mines. See Brattice.

The official title applied to that one of the Anglo-Saxon chieftains who was chosen by the other chiefs to lead them in their warfare against the British tribes.

See Pretzel.

A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. When dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. It was formerly of a square figure (as thus: / ), but is now made oval, with a line perpendicular to the staff on each of its sides; -- formerly much used for choir service.

Taking or conferring rank by brevet; as, a brevet colonel; a brevet commission.

The rank or condition of a brevet officer.

An abridgment; a compend; an epitome; a brief account or summary.

To abbreviate.

An abbreviature; an abbreviation.

A size of type between bourgeois and minion.

A brief and pertinent mode of speaking.

Having short legs. A breviped bird.

A brevipennate bird.

Short-winged; -- applied to birds which can not fly, owing to their short wings, as the ostrich, cassowary, and emu.

Short-billed; having a short beak.

Shortness of duration; briefness of time; as, the brevity of human life.

a genus of fishes consisting of the menhaden.

The mixture formed by brewing; that which is brewed.

Malt liquor; drink brewed.

One who brews; one whose occupation is to prepare malt liquors.

A brewhouse; the building and apparatus where brewing is carried on.

A house or building appropriated to brewing; a brewery.

The act or process of preparing liquors which are brewed, as beer and ale.

Broth or pottage.

A rare zeolitic mineral occurring in white monoclinic crystals with pearly luster. It is a hydrous silicate of aluminia, baryta, and strontia.

See Brazilin.

Same as Brier.

A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.

an old French breed of large strong usually black dogs having a long tail and long wavy and slightly stiff coat.

Pertaining to, or resembling, Briareus, a giant fabled to have a hundred hands; hence, hundred-handed or many-handed.

the hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea.

wood from the hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea; used to make tobacco pipes.

having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns etc.; -- of plants or animals.

Capable of being bribed.

To commit robbery or theft.

Incapable of being bribed; free from bribes.

A thief.

Robbery; extortion.

Miscellaneous curiosities and works of decorative art, considered collectively.

To lay or pave with bricks; to surround, line, or construct with bricks.

A piece or fragment of a brick. See 1st Bat, n. 4.