Brabantine
Bra•bant´ine, a. Pertaining to Brabant, an ancient province of the Netherlands.
Brabble
Brab´ble, v. i. [D. brabbelen to talk confusedly. 95. Cf. Blab, Babble.] To clamor; to contest noisily. [R.]
Brabbler
Brab´bler, n. A clamorous, quarrelsome, noisy fellow; a wrangler. [R] Shak.
Brace, n. [OF. brace, brasse, the two arms, embrace, fathom, F. brasse fathom, fr. L. bracchia the arms (stretched out), pl. of bracchium arm; cf. Gr. .]
1. That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.
2. A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension, as a cord on the side of a drum.
"The little bones of the ear drum do in straining and relaxing it as the braces of the war drum do in that." - Derham.
3. The state of being braced or tight; tension.
"The laxness of the tympanum, when it has lost its brace or tension." - Holder.
4. (Arch. & Engin.) A piece of material used to transmit, or change the direction of, weight or pressure; any one of the pieces, in a frame or truss, which divide the structure into triangular parts. It may act as a tie, or as a strut, and serves to prevent distortion of the structure, and transverse strains in its members. A boiler brace is a diagonal stay, connecting the head with the shell.
5. (Print.) A vertical curved line connecting two or more words or lines, which are to be taken together; thus, boll, bowl; or, in music, used to connect staves.
6. (Naut.) A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also a rudder gudgeon.
7. (Mech.) A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
8. A pair; a couple; as a brace of ducks; now rarely applied to persons, except familiarly or with some contempt. "A brace of greyhounds." Shak.
"He is said to have shot … fifty brace of pheasants." - Addison.
"A brace of brethren, both bishops, both eminent for learning and religion, now appeared in the church." - Fuller.
"But you, my brace of lords." - Shak.
9. pl. Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
"I embroidered for you a beautiful pair of braces." - Thackeray.
10. Harness; warlike preparation. [Obs.]
"For that it stands not in such warlike brace." - Shak.
11. Armor for the arm; vantbrace.
12. (Mining) The mouth of a shaft. [Cornwall] Angle brace. See under Angle.
Brace, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Braced ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bracing.]
1. To furnish with braces; to support; to prop; as to brace a beam in a building.
2. To draw tight; to tighten; to put in a state of tension; to strain; to strengthen; as to brace the nerves.
"And welcome war to brace her drums." - Campbell.
3. To bind or tie closely; to fasten tightly.
"The women of China, by bracing and binding them from their infancy, have very little feet." - Locke.
"Some who spurs had first braced on." - Sir W. Scott.
4. To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly; as he braced himself against the crowd.
"A sturdy lance in his right hand he braced." - Fairfax.
5. (Naut.) To move around by means of braces; as to brace the yards. To brace about (Naut.), to turn (a yard) round for the contrary tack. — To brace a yard (Naut.), to move it horizontally by means of a brace. — To brace in (Naut.), to turn (a yard) by hauling in the weather brace. — To brace one’s self, to call up one’s energies. "He braced himself for an effort which he was little able to make." J. D. Forbes. — To brace to (Naut.), to turn (a yard) by checking or easing off the lee brace, and hauling in the weather one, to assist in tacking. — To brace up (Naut.), to bring (a yard) nearer the direction of the keel by hauling in the lee brace. — To brace up sharp (Naut.), to turn (a yard) as far forward as the rigging will permit.
Brace, v. i. To get tone or vigor; to rouse one’s energies; — with up. [Colloq.]
Bracelet
Brace´let, n. [F. bracelet, dim. of OF. bracel armlet, prop. little arm, dim. of bras arm, fr. L. bracchium. See Brace, n. ]
1. An ornamental band or ring, for the wrist or the arm; in modern times, an ornament encircling the wrist, worn by women or girls.
2. A piece of defensive armor for the arm. Johnson.
Brachiata
Brach•i•a´ta, n. pl. [See Brachiate.] (Zoöl.) A division of the Crinoidea, including those furnished with long jointed arms. See Crinoidea.
Brachioganoid
Brach•i•og´a•noid, n. One of the Brachioganoidei.
Brachioganoidei
Brach•i•o•ga•noid´e•i, n. pl. [NL., from L. brachium ( bracch-) arm + NL. ganoidei.] (Zoöl.) An order of ganoid fishes of which the bichir of Africa is a living example. See Crossopterygii.
Brachiopod
Brach´i•o•pod, n. [Cf.F. brachiopode.] (Zoöl.) One of the Brachiopoda, or its shell.
Brachiopoda
Brach•i•op´o•da, n. [NL., from Gr. arm + -poda.] (Zoöl.) A class of Molluscoidea having a symmetrical bivalve shell, often attached by a fleshy peduncle. Within the shell is a pair of "arms," often long and spirally coiled, bearing rows of ciliated tentacles by which a current of water is made to flow into the mantle cavity, bringing the microscopic food to the mouth between the bases of the arms. The shell is both opened and closed by special muscles. They form two orders; Lyopoma, in which the shell is thin, and without a distinct hinge, as in Lingula; and Arthropoma, in which the firm calcareous shell has a regular hinge, as in Rhynchonella. See Arthropomata.
Brachman
Brach´man, n. [L. Brachmanae, pl., Gr. .] See Brahman. [Obs.]
Brachydiagonal
Brach•y•di•ag´o•nal, n. The shorter of the diagonals in a rhombic prism.
Brachydome
Brach•y•dome, n. [Gr. brachy•s short + E. dome.] (Crystallog.) A dome parallel to the shorter lateral axis. See Dome.
Brachypteres
Bra•chyp´te•res, n.pl. [NL. See Brachyptera. ] (Zoöl.) A group of birds, including auks, divers, and penguins.
Brachypterous
Bra•chyp´ter•ous, a. [Gr. : cf. F. brachyptère.] (Zoöl.) Having short wings.
Brachytypous
Brach´y•ty•pous, a. [Gr. short + stamp, form.] (Min.) Of a short form.
Brachyura
Brach•y•u´ra, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. brachy•s short + tail.] (Zoöl.) A group of decapod Crustacea, including the common crabs, characterized by a small and short abdomen, which is bent up beneath the large cephalo-thorax. [Also spelt Brachyoura.] See Crab, and Illustration in Appendix. { Brach•y•u´ral, Brach•y•u´rous }, a. [Cf. F. brachyure.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Brachyura.
Brack (brak), n. [Cf.D. braak, Dan. braek, a breaking, Sw. & Icel. brak a crackling, creaking. Cf. Breach.] An opening caused by the parting of any solid body; a crack or breach; a flaw.
"Stain or brack in her sweet reputation." - J. Fletcher.
Bracken
Brack´en, n. [OE. braken, AS. bracce. See 2d Brake, n. ] A brake or fern. Sir W. Scott.
Bracket
Brack´et, n. [Cf.OF. braguette codpiece, F. brayette, Sp. bragueta, also a projecting mold in architecture; dim. fr.L. bracae breeches; cf. also OF. bracon beam, prop, support; of unknown origin. Cf. Breeches.]
1. (Arch.) An architectural member, plain or ornamental, projecting from a wall or pier, to support weight falling outside of the same; also a decorative feature seeming to discharge such an office. This is the more general word. See Brace, Cantalever, Console, Corbel, Strut.
2. (Engin. & Mech.) A piece or combination of pieces, usually triangular in general shape, projecting from, or fastened to, a wall, or other surface, to support heavy bodies or to strengthen angles.
3. (Naut.) A shot, crooked timber, resembling a knee, used as a support.
4. (Mil.) The cheek or side of an ordnance carriage.
5. (Print.) One of two characters [], used to inclose a reference, explanation, or note, or a part to be excluded from a sentence, to indicate an interpolation, to rectify a mistake, or to supply an omission, and for certain other purposes; — called also crotchet.
6. A gas fixture or lamp holder projecting from the face of a wall, column, or the like. Bracket light, a gas fixture or a lamp attached to a wall, column, etc.
Bracket
Brack´et, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bracketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bracketing] To place within brackets; to connect by brackets; to furnish with brackets.
Bracket
Brack´et, v. t. (Gunnery) To shoot so as to establish a bracket for (an object).
Bracketing
Brack´et•ing, n. (Arch.) A series or group of brackets; brackets, collectively.
Brackish
Brack´ish, a. [See Brack salt water.] Saltish, or salt in a moderate degree, as water in saline soil.
"Springs in deserts found seem sweet, all brackish though they be." - Byron.
Brackishness
Brack´ish•ness, n. The quality or state of being brackish, or somewhat salt.
Bract, n. [See Bractea.] (Bot.) (a) A leaf, usually smaller than the true leaves of a plant, from the axil of which a flower stalk arises. (b) Any modified leaf, or scale, on a flower stalk or at the base of a flower. Bracts are often inconspicuous, but sometimes large and showy, or highly colored, as in many cactaceous plants. The spathes of aroid plants are conspicuous forms of bracts.
Bractea
Brac´te•a, n. [L., a thin plate of metal or wood, gold foil.] (Bot.) A bract.
Bracteal
Brac´te•al, a. [Cf.F. bracteal.] Having the nature or appearance of a bract.
Bracteolate
Brac´te•o•late, a. (Bot.) Furnished with bracteoles or bractlets.
Bracteole
Brac´te•ole, n. [L. bracteola, dim. of bractea. See Bractea.] (Bot.) Same as Bractlet.
Brad, n. [Cf.OE. brod, Dan. braad prick, sting, brodde ice spur, frost nail, Sw. brodd frost nail, Icel. broddr any pointed piece of iron or stell; akin to AS. brord point, spire of grass, and perh. to E. bristle. See Bristle, n. ] A thin nail, usually small, with a slight projection at the top on one side instead of a head; also a small wire nail, with a flat circular head; sometimes, a small, tapering, square-bodied finishing nail, with a countersunk head.
Brad awl
Brad" awl . A straight awl with chisel edge, used to make holes for brads, etc. Weale.
Brae, n. [See Bray a hill.] A hillside; a slope; a bank; a hill. [Scot.] Burns.
Brag, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Bragged ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bragging.] [OE. braggen to resound, blow, boast (cf. F. braguer to lead a merry life, flaunt, boast, OF. brague merriment), from Icel. braka to creak, brak noise, fr. the same root as E. break; properly then, to make a noise, boast. 95.] To talk about one’s self, or things pertaining to one’s self, in a manner intended to excite admiration, envy, or wonder; to talk boastfully; to boast; — often followed by of; as to brag of one’s exploits, courage, or money, or of the great things one intends to do.
"Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament." - Shak.
Syn. — To swagger; boast; vapor; bluster; vaunt; flourish; talk big.
Brag, v. t. To boast of. [Obs.] Shak.
Brag, a. [See Brag, v. i.] Brisk; full of spirits; boasting; pretentious; conceited. [Archaic]
"A brag young fellow." - B. Jonson.
Braggardism
Brag´gard•ism, n. [See Braggart.] Boastfulness; act of bragging. Shak.
Braggart
Brag´gart, n. [OF. bragard flaunting, vain, bragging. See Brag, v. i.] A boaster.
"O, I could play the woman with mine eyes,
And braggart with my tongue." - Shak.
Bragly
Brag´ly, adv. In a manner to be bragged of; finely; proudly. [Obs.] Spenser.
Brahma
Brah´ma, n. [See Brahman.]
1. (Hindoo Myth.) The One First Cause; also one of the triad of Hindoo gods. The triad consists of Brahma, the Creator, Vishnu, the Preserver, and Siva, the Destroyer. According to the Hindoo religious books, Brahma (with the final a short), or Brahm, is the Divine Essence, the One First Cause, the All in All, while the personal gods, Brahmá (with the final a long), Vishnu, and Siva, are emanations or manifestations of Brahma the Divine Essence.
2. (Zoöl.) A valuable variety of large, domestic fowl, peculiar in having the comb divided lengthwise into three parts, and the legs well feathered. There are two breeds, the dark or penciled, and the light; — called also Brahmapootra. { Brah´man, Brah´min } n. ; pl. Brahmans, Brahmins. [Skr. Brahmana (cf. Brahman worship, holiness; the God Brahma, also Brahman): cf. F. Brahmane, Brachmane, Bramine, L. Brachmanae, -manes, - mani, pl., Gr., pl.] A person of the highest or sacerdotal caste among the Hindoos. Brahman bull (Zoöl.), the male of a variety of the zebu, or Indian ox, considered sacred by the Hindoos.
Brahmoism
Brah´mo•ism, n. The religious system of Brahmo-somaj. Balfour.
Braid (brad), v. t. [ imp. &. p. p. Braided; p. pr. & vb. n. Braiding.] [OE. braiden, breiden, to pull, reach, braid, AS. bregdan to move to and fro, to weave; akin. to Icel. bregða, D. breiden to knit, OS. bregdan to weave, OHG. brettan to brandish. Cf. Broid.]
1. To weave, interlace, or entwine together, as three or more strands or threads; to form into a braid; to plait.
"Braid your locks with rosy twine." - Milton.
2. To mingle, or to bring to a uniformly soft consistence, by beating, rubbing, or straining, as in some culinary operations.
3. To reproach. [Obs.] See Upbraid. Shak.
Braid v. i. To start; to awake. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Braid, a. [AS. braed, bred, deceit; akin to Icel. bragð trick, AS. bredan, bregdan, to braid, knit, (hence) to knit a net, to draw into a net, i. e., to deceive. See Braid, v. t.] Deceitful. [Obs.]
"Since Frenchmen are so braid,
Marry that will, I live and die a maid." - Shak.
Brail, n. [OE. brayle furling rope, OF. braiol a band placed around the breeches, fr.F. braies, pl., breeches, fr.L. braca, bracae, breeches, a Gallic word; cf. Arm. bragez. Cf. Breeches.]
1. (Falconry) A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk’s wing.
2. pl. (Naut.) Ropes passing through pulleys, and used to haul in or up the leeches, bottoms, or corners of sails, preparatory to furling.
3. A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.
Brail, v. t. (Naut.) To haul up by the brails; — used with up; as to brail up a sail.
Brain, n. [OE. brain, brein, AS. bragen, braegen; akin to LG. brägen, bregen, D. brein, and perh. to Gr., the upper part of head, if =. rad.95.]
1. (Anat.) The whitish mass of soft matter (the center of the nervous system, and the seat of consciousness and volition) which is inclosed in the cartilaginous or bony cranium of vertebrate animals. It is simply the anterior termination of the spinal cord, and is developed from three embryonic vesicles, whose cavities are connected with the central canal of the cord; the cavities of the vesicles become the central cavities, or ventricles, and the walls thicken unequally and become the three segments, the fore-, mid-, and hind-brain. In the brain of man the cerebral lobes, or largest part of the forebrain, are enormously developed so as to overhang the cerebellum, the great lobe of the hindbrain, and completely cover the lobes of the midbrain. The surface of the cerebrum is divided into irregular ridges, or convolutions, separated by grooves (the so-called fissures and sulci), and the two hemispheres are connected at the bottom of the longitudinal fissure by a great transverse band of nervous matter, the corpus callosum, while the two halves of the cerebellum are connected on the under side of the brain by the bridge, or pons Varolii.
2. (Zoöl.) The anterior or cephalic ganglion in insects and other invertebrates.
3. The organ or seat of intellect; hence, the understanding. " My brain is too dull." Sir W. Scott. In this sense, often used in the plural.
4. The affections; fancy; imagination. [R.] Shak. To have on the brain, to have constantly in one’s thoughts, as a sort of monomania. [Low] Brain box or case, the bony on cartilaginous case inclosing the brain. — Brain coral, Brain stone coral (Zoöl), a massive reef-building coral having the surface covered by ridges separated by furrows so as to resemble somewhat the surface of the brain, esp. such corals of the genera Maeandrina and Diploria. — Brain fag (Med.), brain weariness. See Cerebropathy. — Brain fever (Med.), fever in which the brain is specially affected; any acute cerebral affection attended by fever. — Brain sand, calcareous matter found in the pineal gland.
Brain, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brained ; p. pr. & vb. n. Braining.]
1. To dash out the brains of; to kill by beating out the brains. Hence, Fig.: To destroy; to put an end to; to defeat.
"There thou mayst brain him." - Shak.
"It was the swift celerity of the death …
That brained my purpose." - Shak.
2. To conceive; to understand. [Obs.]
"T is still a dream, or else such stuff as madmen
Tongue, and brain not." - Shak.
Brained, p.a. Supplied with brains.
"If th’ other two be brained like us." - Shak.
Brainless
Brain´less, a. Without understanding; silly; thoughtless; witless. — Brain´less•ness, n.
Brainpan
Brain´pan, n. [ Brain + pan.] The bones which inclose the brain; the skull; the cranium.
Brainsick
Brain´sick, a. Disordered in the understanding; giddy; thoughtless. — Brain´sick•ness, n.
Brait, n. [Cf.W. braith variegated, Ir. breath, breagh, fine, comely.] A rough diamond.
Brake (brak), imp. of Break. [Arhaic] Tennyson.
Brake, n. [OE. brake fern; cf. AS. bracce fern, LG. brake willow bush, Da. bregne fern, G. brach fallow; prob. orig. the growth on rough, broken ground, fr. the root of E. break. See Break, v. t., cf. Bracken, and 2d Brake, n. ]
1. (Bot.) A fern of the genus Pteris, esp. the P. aquilina, common in almost all countries. It has solitary stems dividing into three principal branches. Less properly: Any fern.
2. A thicket; a place overgrown with shrubs and brambles, with undergrowth and ferns, or with canes.
"Rounds rising hillocks, brakes obscure and rough,
To shelter thee from tempest and from rain." - Shak.
"He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone." - Sir W. Scott.
Cane brake, a thicket of canes. See Canebrake.
Brake (brak), n. [OE. brake; cf. LG. brake an instrument for breaking flax, G. breche, fr. the root of E. break. See Break, v. t., and cf. Breach.]
1. An instrument or machine to break or bruise the woody part of flax or hemp so that it may be separated from the fiber.
2. An extended handle by means of which a number of men can unite in working a pump, as in a fire engine.
3. A baker’s kneading though. Johnson.
4. A sharp bit or snaffle.
"Pampered jades … which need nor break nor bit." - Gascoigne.
5. A frame for confining a refractory horse while the smith is shoeing him; also an inclosure to restrain cattle, horses, etc.
"A horse … which Philip had bought … and because of his fierceness kept him within a brake of iron bars." - J. Brende.
6. That part of a carriage, as of a movable battery, or engine, which enables it to turn.
7. (Mil.) An ancient engine of war analogous to the crossbow and ballista.
8. (Agric.) A large, heavy harrow for breaking clods after plowing; a drag.
9. A piece of mechanism for retarding or stopping motion by friction, as of a carriage or railway car, by the pressure of rubbers against the wheels, or of clogs or ratchets against the track or roadway, or of a pivoted lever against a wheel or drum in a machine.
10. (Engin.) An apparatus for testing the power of a steam engine, or other motor, by weighing the amount of friction that the motor will overcome; a friction brake.
11. A cart or carriage without a body, used in breaking in horses.
12. An ancient instrument of torture. Holinshed. Air brake. See Air brake, in the Vocabulary. — Brake beam or Brake bar, the beam that connects the brake blocks of opposite wheels. — Brake block. (a) The part of a brake holding the brake shoe. (b) A brake shoe. — Brake shoe or Brake rubber, the part of a brake against which the wheel rubs. — Brake wheel, a wheel on the platform or top of a car by which brakes are operated. — Continuous brake . See under Continuous.
Bramah press
Bra"mah press . A hydrostatic press of immense power, invented by Joseph Bramah of London. See under Hydrostatic.
Bramble
Bram´ble (bram"b’l), n. [OE. brembil, AS. bremel, brembel, braembel (akin to OHG. bramal), fr. the same root as E. broom, As. brom. See Broom.]
1. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Rubus, including the raspberry and blackberry. Hence: Any rough, prickly shrub.
"The thorny brambles, and embracing bushes." - Shak.
2. (Zoöl.) The brambling or bramble finch.
Brambling
Bram´bling, n. [OE. bramline. See Bramble, n. ] (Zoöl.) The European mountain finch ( Fringilla montifringilla); — called also bramble finch and bramble.
Brame, n. [Cf. Breme.] Sharp passion; vexation. [Obs.]
"Heart-burning brame." - Spenser.
{ Bra´min, Bra•min´ic, etc.} See Brahman, Brachmanic, etc.
Brancard
Bran´card, n. [F.] A litter on which a person may be carried. [Obs.] Coigrave.
Branch, n. ; pl. Branches . [OE. braunche, F. branche, fr. LL. branca claw of a bird or beast of prey; cf. Armor. brank branch, bough.]
1. (Bot.) A shoot or secondary stem growing from the main stem, or from a principal limb or bough of a tree or other plant.
2. Any division extending like a branch; any arm or part connected with the main body of thing; ramification; as the branch of an antler; the branch of a chandelier; a branch of a river; a branch of a railway.
"Most of the branches, or streams, were dried up." - W. Irving.
3. Any member or part of a body or system; a distinct article; a section or subdivision; a department. "Branches of knowledge." Prescott.
"It is a branch and parcel of mine oath." - Shak.
4. (Geom.) One of the portions of a curve that extends outwards to an indefinitely great distance; as the branches of an hyperbola.
5. A line of family descent, in distinction from some other line or lines from the same stock; any descendant in such a line; as the English branch of a family.
"His father, a younger branch of the ancient stock." - Carew.
6. (Naut.) A warrant or commission given to a pilot, authorizing him to pilot vessels in certain waters. Branches of a bridle, two pieces of bent iron, which bear the bit, the cross chains, and the curb. — Branch herring. See Alewife. — Root and branch, totally, wholly.
Syn. — Bough; limb; shoot; offshoot; twig; sprig.
Branch, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Branched ; p. pr. & vb. n. Branching.]
1. To shoot or spread in branches; to separate into branches; to ramify.
2. To divide into separate parts or subdivision. To branch off, to form a branch or a separate part; to diverge. — To branch out, to speak diffusively; to extend one’s discourse to other topics than the main one; also to enlarge the scope of one’s business, etc.
"To branch out into a long disputation." - Spectator.
Branchiate
Bran´chi•ate, a. (Anat.) Furnished with branchiae; as branchiate segments.
Branchiferous
Bran•chif´er•ous, a. (Anat.) Having gills; branchiate; as branchiferous gastropods.
Branchiopoda
Bran´chi•o•poda, n. pl. [Gr. gill + -poda: cf. F. branchiopode.] (Zoöl.) An order of Entomostraca; — so named from the feet of branchiopods having been supposed to perform the function of gills. It includes the fresh-water genera Branchipus, Apus, and Limnadia, and the genus Artemia found in salt lakes. It is also called Phyllopoda. See Phyllopoda, Cladocera. It is sometimes used in a broader sense.
Branchiostege
Bran•chi•os´tege, (Anat.) The branchiostegal membrane. See Illustration in Appendix.
Branchiostegous
Bran•chi•os´te•gous, a. (Anat.) Branchiostegal.
Branchiostoma
Bran•chi•os´to•ma, n. [NL., fr., Gr. gill + mouth.] (Zoöl.) The lancelet. See Amphioxus.
Branchlet
Branch´let, n. [ Branch + - let.] A little branch; a twig.
Brand, n. [OE. brand, brond, AS. brand brond brand, sword, from byrnan, beornan, to burn; akin to D., Dan., Sw., & G. brand brand, Icel. brandr a brand, blade of a sword. rad.32. See Burn, v. t., and cf. Brandish.]
1. A burning piece of wood; or a stick or piece of wood partly burnt, whether burning or after the fire is extinct.
"Snatching a live brand from a wigwam, Mason threw it on a matted roof." - Palfrey.
2. A sword, so called from its glittering or flashing brightness. [Poetic] Tennyson.
"Paradise, so late their happy seat,
Waved over by that flaming brand." - Milton.
3. A mark made by burning with a hot iron, as upon a cask, to designate the quality, manufacturer, etc., of the contents, or upon an animal, to designate ownership; — also a mark for a similar purpose made in any other way, as with a stencil. Hence, figurately: Quality; kind; grade; as a good brand of flour.
4. A mark put upon criminals with a hot iron. Hence: Any mark of infamy or vice; a stigma.
"The brand of private vice." - Channing.
5. An instrument to brand with; a branding iron.
6. (Bot.) Any minute fungus which produces a burnt appearance in plants. The brands are of many species and several genera of the order Pucciniaei.
Brand, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Branded; p. pr. & vb. n. Branding.].
1. To burn a distinctive mark into or upon with a hot iron, to indicate quality, ownership, etc., or to mark as infamous (as a convict).
2. To put an actual distinctive mark upon in any other way, as with a stencil, to show quality of contents, name of manufacture, etc.
3. Fig.: To fix a mark of infamy, or a stigma, upon.
"The Inquisition branded its victims with infamy." - Prescott.
"There were the enormities, branded and condemned by the first and most natural verdict of common humanity." - South.
4. To mark or impress indelibly, as with a hot iron.
"As if it were branded on my mind." - Geo. Eliot.
Brand goose
Brand" goose . [Prob. fr. 1st brand + goose: cf. Sw. brandgås. Cf. Brant.] (Zoöl.) A species of wild goose ( Branta bernicla) usually called in America brant. See Brant.
Brander
Brand´er, n.
1. One who, or that which, brands; a branding iron.
2. A gridiron. [Scot.]
Brandish
Bran´dish, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brandished ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brandishing.] [OE. braundisen, F. brandir, fr. brand a sword, fr. OHG. brant brand. See Brand, n. ]
1. To move or wave, as a weapon; to raise and move in various directions; to shake or flourish.
"The quivering lance which he brandished bright." - Drake.
2. To play with; to flourish; as to brandish syllogisms.
Brandish
Bran´dish, n. A flourish, as with a weapon, whip, etc. "Brandishes of the fan." Tailer.
Brandle
Bran´dle, v. t. & i. [F. brandiller.] To shake; to totter. [Obs.] { Brand´ling, Brand´lin }, n. (Zoöl.) Same as Branlin, fish and worm.
Brand-new
Brand´-new´, a. [See Brand, and cf. Brannew.] Quite new; bright as if fresh from the forge.
Brandy
Bran´dy, n. ; pl. Brandies . [From older brandywine, brandwine, fr. D. brandewijn, fr. p. p. of branden to burn, distill + wijn wine, akin to G. branntwein. See Brand.] A strong alcoholic liquor distilled from wine. The name is also given to spirit distilled from other liquors, and in the United States to that distilled from cider and peaches. In northern Europe, it is also applied to a spirit obtained from grain. Brandy fruit, fruit preserved in brandy and sugar.
Brangle
Bran´gle, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Brangled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brangling .] To wrangle; to dispute contentiously; to squabble. [R.]
Brankursine
Brank´ur•sine, n. [F. branc- ursine, branch-ursine, fr. LL. branca claw + L. ursinus belonging to a bear (fr. ursus bear), i. e., bear’s claw, because its leaves resemble the claws of a bear. Cf. Branch.] (Bot.) Bear’s-breech, or Acanthus.
Branlin
Bran´lin, n. [See Brand.] A small red worm or larva, used as bait for small fresh-water fish; — so called from its red color.
Branny
Bran´ny, a. Having the appearance of bran; consisting of or containing bran. Wiseman.
Bransle
Bran´sle, n. [See Brawl a dance.] A brawl or dance. [Obs.] Spenser.
Brant (brant), n. [Cf.Brand goose, Brent, Brenicle.] (Zoöl.) A species of wild goose ( Branta bernicla) — called also brent and brand goose. The name is also applied to other related species.
Brant, a. [See Brent.] Steep. [Prov. Eng.]
Brant-fox
Brant´-fox, n. [For brand-fox; cf. G. brandfuchs, Sw. bradräf. So called from its yellowish brown and somewhat black color. See Brand.] (Zoöl.) A kind of fox found in Sweden ( Vulpes alopex), smaller than the common fox ( V. vulgaris), but probably a variety of it.
Branular
Bran´u•lar, a. Relating to the brain; cerebral. I. Taylor.
Brash, n. [See Brash brittle.]
1. A rash or eruption; a sudden or transient fit of sickness.
2. Refuse boughs of trees; also the clippings of hedges. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
3. (Geol.) Broken and angular fragments of rocks underlying alluvial deposits. Lyell.
4. Broken fragments of ice. Kane. Water brash (Med.), an affection characterized by a spasmodic pain or hot sensation in the stomach with a rising of watery liquid into the mouth; pyrosis. — Weaning brash (Med.), a severe form of diarrhea which sometimes attacks children just weaned. { Bra´sier, Bra´zier }, n. [OE. brasiere, F. braise live coals. See Brass.] An artificer who works in brass. Franklin. { Bra´sier, Bra´zier }, n. [F. brasier, braisíer, fr. braise live coals. See Brass.] A pan for holding burning coals.
Brasilin
Bras´i•lin, n. [Cf. F. bresiline. See 2d Brazil.] (Chem.) A substance, C16H14O5, extracted from brazilwood as a yellow crystalline powder which is white when pure. It is colored intensely red by alkalies on exposure to the air being oxidized to bra•sil´e•in, C16H12O5 to which brazilwood owes its dyeing properties.
Brass, n. ; pl. Brasses . [OE. bras, bres, AS. braes; akin to Icel. bras cement, solder, brasa to harden by fire, and to E. braze, brazen. Cf. 1st & 2d Braze.]
1. An alloy (usually yellow) of copper and zinc, in variable proportion, but often containing two parts of copper to one part of zinc. It sometimes contains tin, and rarely other metals.
2. (Mach.) A journal bearing, so called because frequently made of brass. A brass is often lined with a softer metal, when the latter is generally called a white metal lining. See Axle box, Journal Box, and Bearing.
3. Coin made of copper, brass, or bronze. [Obs.]
"Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey." - Matt. x. 9.
4. Impudence; a brazen face. [Colloq.]
5. pl. Utensils, ornaments, or other articles of brass.
"The very scullion who cleans the brasses." - Hopkinson.
6. A brass plate engraved with a figure or device. Specifically, one used as a memorial to the dead, and generally having the portrait, coat of arms, etc.
7. pl. (Mining) Lumps of pyrites or sulphuret of iron, the color of which is near to that of brass. The word brass as used in Sculpture language is a translation for copper or some kind of bronze. Brass is often used adjectively or in self-explaining compounds; as brass button, brass kettle, brass founder, brass foundry or brassfoundry. Brass band (Mus.), a band of musicians who play upon wind instruments made of brass, as trumpets, cornets, etc. - - Brass foil, Brass leaf, brass made into very thin sheets; — called also Dutch gold.
Brassart
Bras´sart, n. [F. brassard, fr. bras arm. See Brace, n. ] Armor for the arm; — generally used for the whole arm from the shoulder to the wrist, and consisting, in the 15th and 16th centuries, of many parts.
Brasse, n. [Perh. a transposition of barse; but cf. LG. brasse the bream, G. brassen Cf. Bream.] (Zoöl.) A spotted European fish of the genus Lucioperca, resembling a perch.
Brassiness
Brass´i•ness, n. The state, condition, or quality of being brassy. [Colloq.]
Brassy
Brass´y, n. [Written also brassie and brassey.] (Golf) A wooden club soled with brass.
Brast, v. t. & i. [See Burst.] To burst. [Obs.]
"And both his yën braste out of his face." - Chaucer.
"Dreadfull furies which their chains have brast." - Spenser.
Brat, n. (Mining) A thin bed of coal mixed with pyrites or carbonate of lime.
Brattice
Brat´tice, n. [See Brettice.] (Mining) (a) A wall of separation in a shaft or gallery used for ventilation. (b) Planking to support a roof or wall.
Brattishing
Brat´tish•ing, n.
1. See Brattice, n.
2. (Arch.) Carved openwork, as of a shrine, battlement, or parapet.
Bravado
Bra•va´do (bra•va"do), n. , pl. Bravadoes (-doz). [Sp. bravada, bravata, boast, brag: cf. F. bravade. See Brave.] Boastful and threatening behavior; a boastful menace.
"In spite of our host’s bravado." - Irving.
Brave (brav), a. [ Compar. Braver; superl. Bravest.] [F. brave, It. or Sp. bravo, (orig.) fierce, wild, savage, prob. from. L. barbarus. See Barbarous, and cf. Bravo.]
1. Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; — opposed to cowardly; as a brave man; a brave act.
2. Having any sort of superiority or excellence; — especially such as in conspicuous. [Obs. or Archaic as applied to material things.]
"Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth." - Bacon.
"It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall." - Pepys.
3. Making a fine show or display. [Archaic]
"Wear my dagger with the braver grace." - Shak.
"For I have gold, and therefore will be brave.
In silks I’ll rattle it of every color." - Robert Greene.
"Frog and lizard in holiday coats
And turtle brave in his golden spots." - Emerson.
Syn. — Courageous; gallant; daring; valiant; valorous; bold; heroic; intrepid; fearless; dauntless; magnanimous; high-spirited; stout- hearted. See Gallant.
Brave, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Braved (bravd); p. pr. & vb. n. Braving.]
1. To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare.
"These I can brave, but those I can not bear." - Dryden.
2. To adorn; to make fine or showy. [Obs.]
"Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I’ll neither be faced or braved." - Shak.
Braveness
Brave´ness, n. The quality of state or being brave.
Bravery
Brav´er•y, n. [Cf. F. braverie.]
1. The quality of being brave; fearless; intrepidity.
"Remember, sir, my liege, …
The natural bravery of your isle." - Shak.
2. The act of braving; defiance; bravado. [Obs.]
"Reform, then, without bravery or scandal of former times and persons." - Bacon.
3. Splendor; magnificence; showy appearance; ostentation; fine dress.
"With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery." - Shak.
"Like a stately ship …
With all her bravery on, and tackle trim." - Milton.
4. A showy person; a fine gentleman; a beau. [Obs.]
"A man that is the bravery of his age. Beau. & Fl."
Syn. — Courage; heroism; interpidity; gallantry; valor; fearlessness; dauntlessness; hardihood; manfulness. See Courage, and Heroism.
Braving
Brav´ing, n. A bravado; a boast.
"With so proud a strain
Of threats and bravings." - Chapman.
Bravo
Bra´vo, n. ; pl. Bravoes . [I. See Brave, a. ] A daring villain; a bandit; one who sets law at defiance; a professional assassin or murderer.
"Safe from detection, seize the unwary prey.
And stab, like bravoes, all who come this way." - Churchill.
Bravo
Bra´vo, interj. [It. See Brave.] Well done! excellent! an exclamation expressive of applause.
Bravura
Bra•vu´ra, n. [It., (properly) bravery, spirit, from bravo. See Brave.] (Mus.) A florid, brilliant style of music, written for effect, to show the range and flexibility of a singer’s voice, or the technical force and skill of a performer; virtuoso music. Aria di bravura [It.], a florid air demanding brilliant execution.
Braw, a. [See Brave, a. ] [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
1. Well-dressed; handsome; smart; brave; — used of persons or their clothing, etc.; as a braw lad. "A braw new gown." Burns.
2. Good; fine. "A braw night." Sir W. Scott.
Brawl, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Brawled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brawling.] [OE. braulen to quarrel, boast, brallen to cry, make a noise; cf. LG. brallen to brag, MHG. pr ulen, G. prahlen, F. brailler to cry, shout, Pr. brailar, braillar, W. bragal to vociferate, brag, Armor. bragal to romp, to strut, W. broliaw to brag, brawl boast. 95.]
1. To quarrel noisily and outrageously.
"Let a man that is a man consider that he is a fool that brawleth openly with his wife." - Golden Boke.
2. To complain loudly; to scold.
3. To make a loud confused noise, as the water of a rapid stream running over stones.
"Where the brook brawls along the painful road." - Wordsworth.
Syn. — To wrangle; squabble; contend.
Brawling
Brawl´ing, a.
1. Quarreling; quarrelsome; noisy.
"She is an irksome brawling scold." - Shak.
2. Making a loud confused noise. See Brawl, v. i., 3.
"A brawling stream." - J. S. Shairp.
Brawniness
Brawn´i•ness, n. The quality or state of being brawny.
Bray, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brayed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Braying.] [OE. brayen, OF. breier, F. broyer to pound, grind, fr. OHG. brehhan to break. See Break.] To pound, beat, rub, or grind small or fine.
"Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar, … yet will not his foolishness depart from him." - Prov. xxvii. 22.
Bray, n. [OE. braye, brey, brew, eyebrow, brow of a hill, hill, bank, Scot. bra, brae, bray, fr. AS. brw eyebrow, influenced by the allied Icel. br eyebrow, bank, also akin to AS. br yebrow. See Brow.] A bank; the slope of a hill; a hill. See Brae, which is now the usual spelling. [North of Eng. & Scot.] Fairfax.
Brayer
Bray´er, n. An implement for braying and spreading ink in hand printing.
Braying
Bray´ing, a. Making a harsh noise; blaring. "Braying trumpets." Shak.
Braze, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Brazed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brazing.] [F. braser to solder, fr. Icel. brasa to harden by fire. Cf. Brass.]
1. To solder with hard solder, esp. with an alloy of copper and zinc; as to braze the seams of a copper pipe.
2. To harden. "Now I am brazes to it." Shak.
Braze, v. t. [AS. braesian, fr. braes brass. See Brass.] To cover or ornament with brass. Chapman.
Brazen
Bra´zen, a. [OE. brasen, AS. braesen. See Brass.]
1. Pertaining to, made of, or resembling, brass.
2. Sounding harsh and loud, like resounding brass.
3. Impudent; immodest; shameless; having a front like brass; as a brazen countenance. Brazen age. (a) (Myth.) The age of war and lawlessness which succeeded the silver age. (b) (Archaeol.) See under Bronze. — Brazen sea (Jewish Antiq.), a large laver of brass, placed in Solomon’s temple for the use of the priests.
Brazen
Bra´zen, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brazened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brazening.] To carry through impudently or shamelessly; as to brazen the matter through.
"Sabina brazened it out before Mrs. Wygram, but inwardly she was resolved to be a good deal more circumspect." - W. Black.
Brazen-browed
Bra´zen-browed, a. Shamelessly impudent. Sir T. Browne.
Brazenness
Bra´zen•ness (bra"z’n•nes), n. The quality or state of being brazen. Johnson.
Brazil wood
Bra•zil" wood . [OE. brasil, LL. brasile (cf. Pg. & Sp. brasil, Pr. bresil, Pr. bresil); perh. from Sp. or Pg. brasa a live coal (cf. Braze, Brasier); or Ar. vars plant for dyeing red or yellow. This name was given to the wood from its color; and it is said that King Emanuel, of Portugal, gave the name Brazil to the country in South America on account of its producing this wood.]
1. The wood of the oriental Caesalpinia Sapan; — so called before the discovery of America.
2. A very heavy wood of a reddish color, imported from Brazil and other tropical countries, for cabinet-work, and for dyeing. The best is the heartwood of Caesalpinia echinata, a leguminous tree; but other trees also yield it. An inferior sort comes from Jamaica, the timber of C. Braziliensis and C. crista. This is often distinguished as Braziletto, but the better kind is also frequently so named.
Braziletto
Braz•i•let´to, n. [Cf. Pg. & Sp. brasilete, It. brasiletto.] See Brazil wood.
Brazilian
Bra•zil´ian, a. Of or pertaining to Brazil. — n. A native or an inhabitant of Brazil. Brazilian pebble. See Pebble, n. , 2.
Brazilin
Braz´i•lin, n. [Cf. F. bresiline. See Brazil.] (Chem.) A substance contained in both Brazil wood and Sapan wood, from which it is extracted as a yellow crystalline substance which is white when pure. It is colored intensely red by alkalies. [Written also brezilin.]
Breach, n. [OE. breke, breche, AS. brice, gebrice, gebrece (in comp.), fr. brecan to break; akin to Dan. braek, MHG. breche, gap, breach. See Break, and cf. Brake (the instrument), Brack a break] .
1. The act of breaking, in a figurative sense.
2. Specifically: A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment; as a breach of contract; a breach of promise.
3. A gap or opening made made by breaking or battering, as in a wall or fortification; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence; a break; a rupture.
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead." - Shak.
4. A breaking of waters, as over a vessel; the waters themselves; surge; surf.
"The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters." - 2 Sam. v. 20
A clear breach implies that the waves roll over the vessel without breaking. — A clean breach implies that everything on deck is swept away. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
5. A breaking up of amicable relations; rupture.
"There’s fallen between him and my lord
An unkind breach." - Shak.
6. A bruise; a wound.
"Breach for breach, eye for eye." - Lev. xxiv. 20
7. (Med.) A hernia; a rupture.
8. A breaking out upon; an assault.
" The Lord had made a breach upon Uzza." - 1. Chron. xiii. 11
Breach of falth, a breaking, or a failure to keep, an expressed or implied promise; a betrayal of confidence or trust. — Breach of peace, disorderly conduct, disturbing the public peace. — Breach of privilege, an act or default in violation of the privilege or either house of Parliament, of Congress, or of a State legislature, as for instance, by false swearing before a committee. Mozley. Abbott. - Breach of promise, violation of one’s plighted word, esp. of a promise to marry. — Breach of trust, violation of one’s duty or faith in a matter entrusted to one.
Syn. — Rent; cleft; chasm; rift; aperture; gap; break; disruption; fracture; rupture; infraction; infringement; violation; quarrel; dispute; contention; difference; misunderstanding.
Breach, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Breached ; p. pr. & vb. n. Breaching.] To make a breach or opening in; as to breach the walls of a city.
Breach, v. i. To break the water, as by leaping out; — said of a whale.
Breachy
Breach´y, a. Apt to break fences or to break out of pasture; unruly; as breachy cattle.
Bread (bred), v. t. [AS. braedan to make broad, to spread. See Broad, a. ] To spread. [Obs.] Ray.
Bread (bred), n. [AS. breád; akin to OFries. brad, OS. brod, D. brood, G. brod, brot, Icel. brauð, Sw. & Dan. bröd. The root is probably that of E. brew. rad.93. See Brew.]
1. An article of food made from flour or meal by moistening, kneading, and baking. Raised bread is made with yeast, salt, and sometimes a little butter or lard, and is mixed with warm milk or water to form the dough, which, after kneading, is given time to rise before baking. — Cream of tartar bread is raised by the action of an alkaline carbonate or bicarbonate (as saleratus or ammonium bicarbonate) and cream of tartar (acid tartrate of potassium) or some acid. — Unleavened bread is usually mixed with water and salt only. Aërated bread. See under Aërated. Bread and butter (fig.), means of living. — Brown bread, Indian bread, Graham bread, Rye and Indian bread. See Brown bread, under Brown. — Bread tree. See Breadfruit.
2. Food; sustenance; support of life, in general.
"Give us this day our daily bread." - Matt. vi. 11
Bread, v. t. (Cookery) To cover with bread crumbs, preparatory to cooking; as breaded cutlets.
Breadbasket
Bread´bas•ket, n. The stomach. [Humorous] S. Foote.
Breadcorn
Bread´corn . Corn of grain of which bread is made, as wheat, rye, etc.
Breadstuff
Bread´stuff, n. Grain, flour, or meal of which bread is made.
Breadth (bredth), n. [OE. brede, breede, whence later bredette, AS. braedu, fr. brad broad. See Broad, a. ]
1. Distance from side to side of any surface or thing; measure across, or at right angles to the length; width.
2. (Fine Arts) The quality of having the colors and shadows broad and massive, and the arrangement of objects such as to avoid to great multiplicity of details, producing an impression of largeness and simple grandeur; — called also breadth of effect.
"Breadth of coloring is a prominent character in the painting of all great masters." - Weale.
Breadthwise
Breadth´wise (-wiz), ads. In the direction of the breadth.
Break (brak), v. t. [ imp. broke (brok), (Obs. Brake); p. p. Broken (bro"k’n), (Obs. Broke); p. pr. & vb. n. Breaking.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak, Sw. braka, bräkka to crack, Dan. braekke to break, Goth. brikan to break, L. frangere. Cf. Bray to pound, Breach, Fragile.]
1. To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. Shak.
2. To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as to break a package of goods.
3. To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate.
"Katharine, break thy mind to me." - Shak.
4. To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise.
" Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts … To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray." - Milton
5. To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate; as to break silence; to break one’s sleep; to break one’s journey.
"Go, release them, Ariel;
My charms I’ll break, their senses I’ll restore."Shak.
6. To destroy the completeness of; to remove a part from; as to break a set.
7. To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce; as the cavalry were not able to break the British squares.
8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments.
"The victim broke in pieces the musical instruments with which he had solaced the hours of captivity." - Prescott.
9. To exchange for other money or currency of smaller denomination; as to break a five dollar bill.
10. To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of; as to break flax.
11. To weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind.
"An old man, broken with the storms of state." - Shak.
12. To diminish the force of; to lessen the shock of, as a fall or blow.
"I’ll rather leap down first, and break your fall." - Dryden.
13. To impart, as news or information; to broach; - - with to, and often with a modified word implying some reserve; as to break the news gently to the widow; to break a purpose cautiously to a friend.
14. To tame; to reduce to subjection; to make tractable; to discipline; as to break a horse to the harness or saddle. "To break a colt." Spenser.
"Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute?" - Shak.
15. To destroy the financial credit of; to make bankrupt; to ruin.
"With arts like these rich Matho, when he speaks,
Attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks." - Dryden.
16. To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss.
"I see a great officer broken." - Swift.
With prepositions or adverbs: — To break down. (a) To crush; to overwhelm; as to break down one’s strength; to break down opposition. (b) To remove, or open a way through, by breaking; as to break down a door or wall. — To break in. (a) To force in; as to break in a door. (b) To train; to discipline; as a horse well broken in. — To break of, to rid of; to cause to abandon; as to break one of a habit. — To break off. (a) To separate by breaking; as to break off a twig. (b) To stop suddenly; to abandon. "Break off thy sins by righteousness." Dan. iv. 27. — To break open, to open by breaking. "Open the door, or I will break it open." Shak. — To break out, to take or force out by breaking; as to break out a pane of glass. — To break out a cargo, to unstow a cargo, so as to unload it easily. — To break through. (a) To make an opening through, as as by violence or the force of gravity; to pass violently through; as to break through the enemy’s lines; to break through the ice. (b) To disregard; as to break through the ceremony. — To break up. (a) To separate into parts; to plow (new or fallow ground). "Break up this capon." Shak. "Break up your fallow ground." Jer. iv. 3. (b) To dissolve; to put an end to. "Break up the court." Shak. — To break (one) all up, to unsettle or disconcert completely; to upset. [Colloq.] With an immediate object: — To break the back. (a) To dislocate the backbone; hence, to disable totally. (b) To get through the worst part of; as to break the back of a difficult undertaking. — To break bulk, to destroy the entirety of a load by removing a portion of it; to begin to unload; also to transfer in detail, as from boats to cars. — To break cover, to burst forth from a protecting concealment, as game when hunted. — To break a deer or stag, to cut it up and apportion the parts among those entitled to a share. — To break fast, to partake of food after abstinence. See Breakfast. — To break ground. (a) To open the earth as for planting; to commence excavation, as for building, siege operations, and the like; as to break ground for a foundation, a canal, or a railroad. (b) Fig.: To begin to execute any plan. (c) (Naut.) To release the anchor from the bottom. — To break the heart, to crush or overwhelm (one) with grief. — To break a house (Law), to remove or set aside with violence and a felonious intent any part of a house or of the fastenings provided to secure it. — To break the ice, to get through first difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning; to introduce a subject. — To break jail, to escape from confinement in jail, usually by forcible means. — To break a jest, to utter a jest. "Patroclus … the livelong day breaks scurril jests." Shak. — To break joints, to lay or arrange bricks, shingles, etc., so that the joints in one course shall not coincide with those in the preceding course. — To break a lance, to engage in a tilt or contest. — To break the neck, to dislocate the joints of the neck. — To break no squares, to create no trouble. [Obs.] — To break a path, road, etc., to open a way through obstacles by force or labor. — To break upon a wheel, to execute or torture, as a criminal by stretching him upon a wheel, and breaking his limbs with an iron bar; — a mode of punishment formerly employed in some countries. — To break wind, to give vent to wind from the anus.
Syn. — To dispart; rend; tear; shatter; batter; violate; infringe; demolish; destroy; burst; dislocate.
Break (
[1913 Webster]), n. [See Break, v. t., and cf. Brake (the instrument), Breach, Brack a crack.]
1. An opening made by fracture or disruption.
2. An interruption of continuity; change of direction; as a break in a wall; a break in the deck of a ship. Specifically: (a) (Arch.) A projection or recess from the face of a building. (b) (Elec.) An opening or displacement in the circuit, interrupting the electrical current.
3. An interruption; a pause; as a break in friendship; a break in the conversation.
4. An interruption in continuity in writing or printing, as where there is an omission, an unfilled line, etc.
"All modern trash is
Set forth with numerous breaks and dashes." - Swift.
5. The first appearing, as of light in the morning; the dawn; as the break of day; the break of dawn.
6. A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver’s seat in front and the footman’s behind.
7. A device for checking motion, or for measuring friction. See Brake, n. 9 & 10.
8. (Teleg.) See Commutator.
Break-circuit
Break´-cir•cuit, n. (Elec.) A key or other device for breaking an electrical circuit.
Breakfast
Break´fast, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. breakfasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Breakfasting.] To break one’s fast in the morning; too eat the first meal in the day.
"First, sir, I read, and then I breakfast." - Prior.
Breakfast
Break´fast, v. t. To furnish with breakfast. Milton.
Breakneck
Break´neck, n.
1. A fall that breaks the neck.
2. A steep place endangering the neck.
Breakneck
Break´neck, a. Producing danger of a broken neck; as breakneck speed.
Bream, n. [OE. breme, brem, F. brême, OF. bresme, of German origin; cf. OHG. brahsema, brahsina, OLG. bressemo, G. brassen. Cf. Brasse.]
1. (Zoöl) A European fresh-water cyprinoid fish of the genus Abramis, little valued as food. Several species are known.
2. (Zoöl) An American fresh-water fish, of various species of Pomotis and allied genera, which are also called sunfishes and pondfishes. See Pondfish.
3. (Zoöl) A marine sparoid fish of the genus Pagellus, and allied genera. See Sea Bream.
Bream, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Breamed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Breaming.] [Cf. Broom, and G. ein schiff brennen.] (Naut.) To clean, as a ship’s bottom of adherent shells, seaweed, etc., by the application of fire and scraping.
Breast (brest), n. [OE. brest, breost, As. breóst; akin to Icel. brjost, Sw. bröst, Dan. bryst, Goth. brusts, OS. briost, D. borst, G. brust.]
1. The fore part of the body, between the neck and the belly; the chest; as the breast of a man or of a horse.
2. Either one of the protuberant glands, situated on the front of the chest or thorax in the female of man and of some other mammalia, in which milk is secreted for the nourishment of the young; a mamma; a teat.
"My brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother." - Cant. viii. 1.
3. Anything resembling the human breast, or bosom; the front or forward part of anything; as a chimney breast; a plow breast; the breast of a hill.
"Mountains on whose barren breast
The laboring clouds do often rest." - Milton.
4. (Mining) (a) The face of a coal working. (b) The front of a furnace.
5. The seat of consciousness; the repository of thought and self-consciousness, or of secrets; the seat of the affections and passions; the heart.
"He has a loyal breast." - Shak.
6. The power of singing; a musical voice; — so called, probably, from the connection of the voice with the lungs, which lie within the breast. [Obs.]
"By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast." - Shak.
Breast drill, a portable drilling machine, provided with a breastplate, for forcing the drill against the work. - - Breast pang. See Angina pectoris, under Angina. — To make a clean breast, to disclose the secrets which weigh upon one; to make full confession.
Breast, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Breasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Breasting.] To meet, with the breast; to struggle with or oppose manfully; as to breast the storm or waves.
"The court breasted the popular current by sustaining the demurrer." - Wirt.
To breast up a hedge, to cut the face of it on one side so as to lay bare the principal upright stems of the plants.
Breastbeam
Breast´beam (brest"bem•), n. (Mach.) The front transverse beam of a locomotive.
Breastbone
Breast´bone (brest"bon•), n. The bone of the breast; the sternum.
Breasting
Breast´ing, n. (Mach.) 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.
Breastknot
Breast´knot (brest"not), n. A knot of ribbons worn on the breast. Addison.
Breastplate
Breast´plate, n.
1. A plate of metal covering the breast as defensive armor.
"Before his old rusty breastplate could be scoured, and his cracked headpiece mended." - Swift.
2. A piece against which the workman presses his breast in operating a breast drill, or other similar tool.
3. A strap that runs across a horse’s breast. Ash.
4. (Jewish Antiq.) A part of the vestment of the high priest, worn upon the front of the ephod. It was a double piece of richly embroidered stuff, a span square, set with twelve precious stones, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. See Ephod. { Breast´plow•, Breast´plough• }, n. A kind of plow, driven by the breast of the workman; — used to cut or pare turf.
Breath (breth), n. [OE. breth, breeth, AS. braeð odor, scent, breath; cf. OHG. bradam steam, vapor, breath, G. brodem, and possibly E. Brawn, and Breed.]
1. 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.
"Melted as breath into the wind." - Shak.
2. The act of breathing naturally or freely; the power or capacity to breathe freely; as I am out of breath.
3. The power of respiration, and hence, life. Hood.
"Thou takest away their breath, they die." - Ps. civ. 29.
4. Time to breathe; respite; pause.
"Give me some breath, some little pause." - Shak.
5. A single respiration, or the time of making it; a single act; an instant.
"He smiles and he frowns in a breath." - Dryden.
6. Fig.: That which gives or strengthens life.
"The earthquake voice of victory,
To thee the breath of life." - Byron.
7. A single word; the slightest effort; a trifle.
"A breath can make them, as a breath has made." - Goldsmith.
8. A very slight breeze; air in gentle motion.
"Calm and unruffled as a summer’s sea,
when not a breath of wind flies o’er its surface." - Addison.
9. Fragrance; exhalation; odor; perfume. Tennison.
"The breath of flowers." - Bacon.
10. Gentle exercise, causing a quicker respiration.
"An after dinner’s breath." - Shak.
Out of breath, breathless, exhausted; breathing with difficulty. — Under one’s breath, in low tones.
Breathable
Breath´a•ble (breth"a•b’l), a. Such as can be breathed.
Breathableness
Breath´a•ble•ness, n. State of being breathable.
Breathe (breth), v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Breathed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Breathing.] [From Breath.]
1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. "I am in health, I breathe." Shak.
"Breathes there a man with soul so dead?" - Sir W. Scott.
2. To take breath; to rest from action.
"Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again!" - Shak.
3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently.
"The air breathes upon us here most sweetly." - Shak.
"There breathes a living fragrance from the shore." - Byron.
Breathful
Breath´ful, a. Full of breath; full of odor; fragrant. [Obs.]
Breathing
Breath´ing, n.
1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.
"Subject to a difficulty of breathing." - Melmoth.
2. Air in gentle motion.
3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as the breathings of the Spirit.
4. Aspiration; secret prayer. "Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state." Tillotson.
5. Exercising; promotion of respiration.
"Here is a lady that wants breathing too;
And I have heard, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip." - Shak.
6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words.
"I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose." - Shak.
7. Breathing place; vent. Dryden.
8. Stop; pause; delay.
"You shake the head at so long a breathing." - Shak.
9. also in a wider sense, the sound caused by the friction of the outgoing breath in the throat, mouth, etc., when the glottis is wide open; aspiration; the sound expressed by the letter h.
10. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below. Breathing place. (a) A pause. "That caesura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse." Sir P. Sidney. (b) A vent. — Breathing time, pause; relaxation. Bp. Hall. — Breathing while, time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time. Shak. — Rough breathing ( spiritus asper) (&spasp;). See 2d Asper, n. — Smooth breathing ( spiritus lenis), a mark (’) indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in ’ie•nai ( ienai).
Breathlessness
Breath´less•ness, n. The state of being breathless or out of breath.
Breccia
Brec´cia, n. [It., breach, pebble, fragments of stone, fr. F. brèche; of German origin. See Breach.] (Geol.) 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. Bone breccia, a breccia containing bones, usually fragmentary. — Coin breccia, a breccia containing coins.
Bred, imp. & p. p. of Breed. Bred out, degenerated. "The strain of man’s bred out into baboon and monkey." Shak. — Bred to arms. See under Arms. — Well bred. (a) Of a good family; having a good pedigree. "A gentleman well bred and of good name." Shak. [Obs., except as applied to domestic animals.] (b) Well brought up, as shown in having good manners; cultivated; refined; polite. { Brede, or Breede }, n. Breadth. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Brede, n. [See Braid woven cord.] A braid. [R.]
"Half lapped in glowing gauze and golden brede." - Tennyson.
Breech, n. [See Breeches.]
1. The lower part of the body behind; the buttocks.
2. Breeches. [Obs.] Shak.
3. The hinder part of anything; esp., the part of a cannon, or other firearm, behind the chamber.
4. (Naut.) The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat.
Breech, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Breeched ; p. pr. & vb. n. Breeching .]
1. To put into, or clothe with, breeches.
"A great man … anxious to know whether the blacksmith’s youngest boy was breeched." - Macaulay.
2. To cover as with breeches. [Poetic]
"Their daggers unmannerly breeched with gore." - Shak.
3. To fit or furnish with a breech; as to breech a gun.
4. To whip on the breech. [Obs.]
"Had not a courteous serving man conveyed me away, whilst he went to fetch whips, I think, in my conscience, he would have breeched me." - Old Play.
5. To fasten with breeching.
Breeches
Breech´es, n. pl. [OE. brech, brek, AS. brek, pl. of broc breech, breeches; akin to Icel. brok breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. Brail.]
1. A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes.
"His jacket was red, and his breeches were blue." - Coleridge.
2. Trousers; pantaloons. [Colloq.] Breeches buoy, in the life-saving service, a pair of canvas breeches depending from an annular or beltlike life buoy which is usually of cork. This contrivance, inclosing the person to be rescued, is hung by short ropes from a block which runs upon the hawser stretched from the ship to the shore, and is drawn to land by hauling lines. — Breeches pipe, a forked pipe forming two branches united at one end. — Knee breeches, breeches coming to the knee, and buckled or fastened there; smallclothes. — To wear the breeches, to usurp the authority of the husband; — said of a wife. [Colloq.]
Breed, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bred ; p. pr. & vb. n. Breeding.] [OE. breden, AS. bredan to nourish, cherish, keep warm, from brod brood; akin to D. broeden to brood, OHG. bruoten, G. brüten. See Brood.]
1. To produce as offspring; to bring forth; to bear; to procreate; to generate; to beget; to hatch.
"Yet every mother breeds not sons alike." - Shak.
"If the sun breed maggots in a dead dog." - Shak.
2. To take care of in infancy, and through the age of youth; to bring up; to nurse and foster.
"To bring thee forth with pain, with care to breed." - Dryden.
"Born and bred on the verge of the wilderness." - Everett.
3. To educate; to instruct; to form by education; to train; — sometimes followed by up.
"But no care was taken to breed him a Protestant." - Bp. Burnet.
"His farm may not remove his children too far from him, or the trade he breeds them up in." - Locke.
4. To engender; to cause; to occasion; to originate; to produce; as to breed a storm; to breed disease.
"Lest the place
And my quaint habits breed astonishment." - Milton.
5. To give birth to; to be the native place of; as a pond breeds fish; a northern country breeds stout men.
6. To raise, as any kind of stock.
7. To produce or obtain by any natural process. [Obs.]
"Children would breed their teeth with less danger." - Locke.
Syn. — To engender; generate; beget; produce; hatch; originate; bring up; nourish; train; instruct.
Breeding
Breed´ing, n.
1. The act or process of generating or bearing.
2. The raising or improving of any kind of domestic animals; as farmers should pay attention to breeding.
3. Nurture; education; formation of manners.
"She had her breeding at my father’s charge." - Shak.
4. Deportment or behavior in the external offices and decorums of social life; manners; knowledge of, or training in, the ceremonies, or polite observances of society.
"Delicacy of breeding, or that polite deference and respect which civility obliges us either to express or counterfeit towards the persons with whom we converse." - Hume.
5. Descent; pedigree; extraction. [Obs.]
"Honest gentlemen, I know not your breeding." - Shak.
Close breeding, In and in breeding, breeding from a male and female from the same parentage. — Cross breeding, breeding from a male and female of different lineage. — Good breeding, politeness; genteel deportment.
Syn. — Education; instruction; nurture; training; manners. See Education.
Breeze, n. [F. braise cinders, live coals. See Brasier.]
1. Refuse left in the process of making coke or burning charcoal.
2. (Brickmaking) Refuse coal, coal ashes, and cinders, used in the burning of bricks.
Brelan carre
Bre•lan" car•re" [F. carre square.] (Card Playing) In French games, a double pair royal.
Breme (brem), a. [OE. breme, brime, fierce, impetuous, glorious, AS. breme, bryme, famous. Cf. Brim, a. ]
1. Fierce; sharp; severe; cruel. [Obs.] Spenser.
"From the septentrion cold, in the breme freezing air." - Drayton.
2. Famous; renowned; well known. Wright. [Written also brim and brimme.] { Bren, Bren´ne } v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Brent ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brenning.] [See Burn.] To burn. [Obs.] Chaucer.
"Consuming fire brent his shearing house or stall." - W. Browne.
Brennage
Bren´nage, n. [OF. brenage; cf. LL. brennagium, brenagium. See Bran.] (Old Eng. Law) A tribute which tenants paid to their lord, in lieu of bran, which they were obliged to furnish for his hounds.
Brent, imp. & p. p. of Bren. Burnt. [Obs.]
Brent, n. [Cf. Brant.] A brant. See Brant.
Brest, 3d sing.pr. for Bursteth. [Obs.] { Brest, Breast }, n. (Arch.) A torus. [Obs.]
Breste
Bres´te, v. t. & i. [ imp. Brast; p. p. Brusten, Borsten, Bursten.] To burst. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Bretful
Bret´ful, a. [OE. also brerdful, fr. brerd top, brim, AS. brerd.] Brimful. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Brethren
Breth´ren, n. ; pl. of Brother. This form of the plural is used, for the most part, in solemn address, and in speaking of religious sects or fraternities, or their members.
Brettice
Bret´tice, n. ; pl. Brettices . [OE. bretasce, bretage, parapet, OF. bretesche wooden tower, F. bretèche, LL. breteschia, bertresca, prob. fr. OHG. bret, G. brett board; akin to E. board. See Board, n. , and cf. Bartizan.] The wooden boarding used in supporting the roofs and walls of coal mines. See Brattice.
Breve (brev), n. [It. & (in sense 2) LL. breve, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief.]
1. (Mus.) 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. Moore.
2. (Law) Any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court.
3. (Print.) A curved mark is used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel.
4. (Zoöl.) The great ant thrush of Sumatra ( Pitta gigas), which has a very short tail.
Brevet
Bre•vet´ (bre•vet"; 277), n. [F. brevet, LL. brevetum, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief.]
1. A warrant from the government, granting a privilege, title, or dignity. [French usage].
2. (Mil.) A commission giving an officer higher rank than that for which he receives pay; an honorary promotion of an officer. In the United States army, rank by brevet is conferred, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for "gallant actions or meritorious services." A brevet rank gives no right of command in the particular corps to which the officer brevetted belongs, and can be exercised only by special assignment of the President, or on court martial, and detachments composed of different corps, with pay of the brevet rank when on such duty.
Brevet
Bre•vet´ (bre•vet"), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brevetted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brevetting.] (Mil.) To confer rank upon by brevet.
Breviary
Bre´vi•a•ry, n. ; pl. Breviaries . [F. breviarie, L. breviarium summary, abridgment, neut. noun fr. breviarius abridged, fr. brevis short. See Brief, and cf. Brevier.]
1. An abridgment; a compend; an epitome; a brief account or summary.
"A book entitled the abridgment or breviary of those roots that are to be cut up or gathered." - Holland.
2. A book containing the daily public or canonical prayers of the Roman Catholic or of the Greek Church for the seven canonical hours, namely, matins and lauds, the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours, vespers, and compline; — distinguished from the missal.
Breviature
Bre´vi•a•ture, n. An abbreviature; an abbreviation. [Obs.] Johnson.
Brevier
Bre•vier´ (bre•ver"), n. [Prob. from being originally used in printing a breviary. See Breviary.] (Print.) A size of type between bourgeois and minion. This line is printed in brevier type.
Breviloquence
Bre•vil´o•quence, n. [L. breviloquentia.] A brief and pertinent mode of speaking. [R.]
Brevity
Brev´i•ty, n. ; pl. Brevities . [L. brevitas, fr. brevis short: cf. F. brièvite. See Brief.]
1. Shortness of duration; briefness of time; as the brevity of human life.
2. Contraction into few words; conciseness.
"Brevity is the soul of wit." - Shak.
"This argument is stated by St. John with his usual elegant brevity and simplicity." - Bp. Porteus.
Syn. — Shortness; conciseness; succinctness; terseness.
Brew, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brewed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brewing.] [OE. brewen, AS. breówan; akin to D. brouwen, OHG. priuwan, MHG. briuwen, brwen, G. brauen, Icel. brugga, Sw. brygga, Dan. brygge, and perh. to L. defrutum must boiled down, Gr. (for ?) a kind of beer. The original meaning seems to have been to prepare by heat. rad.93. Cf. Broth, Bread.]
1. To boil or seethe; to cook. [Obs.]
2. To prepare, as beer or other liquor, from malt and hops, or from other materials, by steeping, boiling, and fermentation. "She brews good ale." Shak.
3. To prepare by steeping and mingling; to concoct.
"Go, brew me a pottle of sack finely." - Shak.
4. To foment or prepare, as by brewing; to contrive; to plot; to concoct; to hatch; as to brew mischief.
"Hence with thy brewed enchantments, foul deceiver!" - Milton.
Brew, n. The mixture formed by brewing; that which is brewed. Bacon.
Brewer
Brew´er, n. One who brews; one whose occupation is to prepare malt liquors.
Brewery
Brew´er•y, n. A brewhouse; the building and apparatus where brewing is carried on.
Brewhouse
Brew´house, n. A house or building appropriated to brewing; a brewery.
Brewis
Brew´is, n. [OE. brewis, brouwys, browesse, brewet, OF. brouet, - s being the OF. ending of the nom. sing. and acc. pl.; dim. of OHG. brod. rad.93. See Broth, and cf. Brose.]
1. Broth or pottage. [Obs.]
"Let them of their Bonner’s "beef" and "broth" make what brewis they please for their credulous guests." - Bp. Hall.
2. Bread soaked in broth, drippings of roast meat, milk, or water and butter.
Bribable
Brib´a•ble, a. Capable of being bribed.
"A more bribable class of electors." - S. Edwards.
Bribe, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bribed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bribing.]
1. To rob or steal. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To give or promise a reward or consideration to (a judge, juror, legislator, voter, or other person in a position of trust) with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct; to induce or influence by a bribe; to give a bribe to.
"Neither is he worthy who bribes a man to vote against his conscience." - F. W. Robertson.
3. To gain by a bribe; of induce as by a bribe.
Bribery
Brib´er•y, n. ; pl. Briberies . [OE. brybery rascality, OF. briberie. See Bribe, n. ]
1. Robbery; extortion. [Obs.]
2. The act or practice of giving or taking bribes; the act of influencing the official or political action of another by corrupt inducements. Bribery oath, an oath taken by a person that he has not been bribed as to voting. [Eng.]
Brick, n. [OE. brik, F. brique; of Ger. origin; cf. AS. brice a breaking, fragment, Prov. E. brique piece, brique de pain, equiv. to AS. hlafes brice, fr. the root of E. break. See Break.]
1. A block or clay tempered with water, sand, etc., molded into a regular form, usually rectangular, and sun-dried, or burnt in a kiln, or in a heap or stack called a clamp.
"The Assyrians appear to have made much less use of bricks baked in the furnace than the Babylonians." - Layard.
2. Bricks, collectively, as designating that kind of material; as a load of brick; a thousand of brick.
"Some of Palladio’s finest examples are of brick." - Weale.
3. Any oblong rectangular mass; as a brick of maple sugar; a penny brick (of bread).
4. A good fellow; a merry person; as you ’re a brick. [Slang] "He ’s a dear little brick." Thackeray. To have a brick in one’s hat, to be drunk. [Slang] Brick is used adjectively or in combination; as brick wall; brick clay; brick color; brick red. Brick clay, clay suitable for, or used in making, bricks. — Brick dust, dust of pounded or broken bricks. — Brick earth, clay or earth suitable for, or used in making, bricks. — Brick loaf, a loaf of bread somewhat resembling a brick in shape. — Brick nogging (Arch.), rough brickwork used to fill in the spaces between the uprights of a wooden partition; brick filling. — Brick tea, tea leaves and young shoots, or refuse tea, steamed or mixed with fat, etc., and pressed into the form of bricks. It is used in Northern and Central Asia. S. W. Williams. — Brick trimmer (Arch.), a brick arch under a hearth, usually within the thickness of a wooden floor, to guard against accidents by fire. — Brick trowel. See Trowel. — Brick works, a place where bricks are made. — Bath brick. See under Bath, a city. — Pressed brick, bricks which, before burning, have been subjected to pressure, to free them from the imperfections of shape and texture which are common in molded bricks.
Brick, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bricked ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bricking.]
1. To lay or pave with bricks; to surround, line, or construct with bricks.
2. To imitate or counterfeit a brick wall on, as by smearing plaster with red ocher, making the joints with an edge tool, and pointing them. To brick up, to fill up, inclose, or line, with brick.
Brickbat
Brick´bat, n. A piece or fragment of a brick. See Bat, 4. Bacon.
Bricklayer
Brick´lay•er, n. [ Brick + lay.] One whose occupation is to build with bricks. Bricklayer’s itch. See under Itch.
Brickle
Bric´kle, a. [OE. brekil, brokel, bruchel, fr. AS. brecan, E. break. Cf. Brittle.] Brittle; easily broken. [Obs. or Prov.] Spenser.
"As stubborn steel excels the brickle glass." - Turbervile.
Brickmaker
Brick´mak•er, n. One whose occupation is to make bricks. — Brick´mak•ing, n.
Bricky
Brick´y, a. Full of bricks; formed of bricks; resembling bricks or brick dust. [R.] Spenser.
Brickyard
Brick´yard, n. A place where bricks are made, especially an inclosed place.
Bridal
Brid´al, a. [From Bride. Cf. Bridal, n. ] Of or pertaining to a bride, or to wedding; nuptial; as bridal ornaments; a bridal outfit; a bridal chamber.
Bridal
Brid´al, n. [OE. bridale, brudale, AS. brydealo brideale, bridal feast. See Bride, and Ale, 2.] A nuptial festival or ceremony; a marriage.
"Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,
The bridal of the earth and sky." - Herbert.
Bride-ale
Bride´-ale, n. [See Bridal.] A rustic wedding feast; a bridal. See Ale.
"The man that ’s bid to bride-ale, if he ha’ cake,
And drink enough, he need not fear his stake." - B. Jonson.
Bridechamber
Bride´cham•ber, n. The nuptial apartment. Matt. ix. 15.
Bridegroom
Bride´groom (-groom•), n. [OE. bridegome, brudgume, AS. brydguma (akin to OS. brudigumo, D. bruidegom, bruigom, OHG. prutigomo, MHG. briutegome, G. bräutigam); AS. bryd bride + guma man, akin to Goth. guma, Icel. gumi, OHG. gomo, L. homo; the insertion of r being caused by confusion with groom. See Bride, and cf. Groom, Homage.] A man newly married, or just about to be married.
Brideknot
Bride´knot, n. A knot of ribbons worn by a guest at a wedding; a wedding favor. [Obs.]
Bridemaid
Bride´maid, n. , Bride´man, n. See Bridesmaid, Bridesman.
Bridesmaid
Brides´maid, n. A female friend who attends on a bride at her wedding.
Bridge, n. [OE. brig, brigge, brug, brugge, AS. brycg, bricg; akin to Fries. bregge, D. brug, OHG. brucca, G. brücke, Icel. bryggja pier, bridge, Sw. brygga, Dan. brygge, and prob. Icel. bru bridge, Sw. & Dan. bro bridge, pavement, and possibly to E. brow.]
1. A structure, usually of wood, stone, brick, or iron, erected over a river or other water course, or over a chasm, railroad, etc., to make a passageway from one bank to the other.
2. Anything supported at the ends, which serves to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.
3. (Mus.) The small arch or bar at right angles to the strings of a violin, guitar, etc., serving of raise them and transmit their vibrations to the body of the instrument.
4. (Elec.) A device to measure the resistance of a wire or other conductor forming part of an electric circuit.
5. A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; — usually called a bridge wall. Aqueduct bridge. See Aqueduct. — Asses’ bridge, Bascule bridge, Bateau bridge. See under Ass, Bascule, Bateau. — Bridge of a steamer (Naut.), a narrow platform across the deck, above the rail, for the convenience of the officer in charge of the ship; in paddlewheel vessels it connects the paddle boxes. — Bridge of the nose, the upper, bony part of the nose. — Cantalever bridge. See under Cantalever. — Draw bridge. See Drawbridge. — Flying bridge, a temporary bridge suspended or floating, as for the passage of armies; also a floating structure connected by a cable with an anchor or pier up stream, and made to pass from bank to bank by the action of the current or other means. — Girder bridge or Truss bridge, a bridge formed by girders, or by trusses resting upon abutments or piers. — Lattice bridge, a bridge formed by lattice girders. — Pontoon bridge, Ponton bridge. See under Pontoon. — Skew bridge, a bridge built obliquely from bank to bank, as sometimes required in railway engineering. — Suspension bridge. See under Suspension. — Trestle bridge, a bridge formed of a series of short, simple girders resting on trestles. — Tubular bridge, a bridge in the form of a hollow trunk or rectangular tube, with cellular walls made of iron plates riveted together, as the Britannia bridge over the Menai Strait, and the Victoria bridge at Montreal. — Wheatstone’s bridge (Elec.), a device for the measurement of resistances, so called because the balance between the resistances to be measured is indicated by the absence of a current in a certain wire forming a bridge or connection between two points of the apparatus; — invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone.
Bridge (brij), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bridged (brijd); p. pr. & vb. n. Bridging.]
1. To build a bridge or bridges on or over; as to bridge a river.
"Their simple engineering bridged with felled trees the streams which could not be forded." - Palfrey.
2. To open or make a passage, as by a bridge.
"Xerxes … over Hellespont Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joined." - Milton.
3. To find a way of getting over, as a difficulty; — generally with over.
Bridgepot
Bridge´pot, n. (Mining) The adjustable socket, or step, of a millstone spindle. Knight.
Bridging
Bridg´ing, n. (Arch.) The system of bracing used between floor or other timbers to distribute the weight. Bridging joist. Same as Binding joist.
Bridle
Bri´dle, n. [OE. bridel, AS. bridel; akin to OHG. britil, brittil, D. breidel, and possibly to E. braid. Cf. Bridoon.]
1. The head gear with which a horse is governed and restrained, consisting of a headstall, a bit, and reins, with other appendages.
2. A restraint; a curb; a check. I. Watts.
3. (Gun.) The piece in the interior of a gun lock, which holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.
4. (Naut.) (a) A span of rope, line, or chain made fast as both ends, so that another rope, line, or chain may be attached to its middle. (b) A mooring hawser. Bowline bridle. See under Bowline. — Branches of a bridle. See under Branch. - - Bridle cable (Naut.), a cable which is bent to a bridle. See 4, above. — Bridle hand, the hand which holds the bridle in riding; the left hand. — Bridle path, Bridle way, a path or way for saddle horses and pack horses, as distinguished from a road for vehicles. — Bridle port (Naut.), a porthole or opening in the bow through which hawsers, mooring or bridle cables, etc., are passed. — Bridle rein, a rein attached to the bit. — Bridle road. (a) Same as Bridle path. Lowell. (b) A road in a pleasure park reserved for horseback exercise. — Bridle track, a bridle path. - - Scolding bridle. See Branks, 2.
Syn. — A check; restrain.
Bridle
Bri´dle, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bridled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bridling .]
1. To put a bridle upon; to equip with a bridle; as to bridle a horse.
"He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist." - Drake.
2. To restrain, guide, or govern, with, or as with, a bridle; to check, curb, or control; as to bridle the passions; to bridle a muse. Addison.
"Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that consolidation." - Burke.
Syn. — To check; restrain; curb; govern; control; repress; master; subdue.
Bridler
Bri´dler, n. One who bridles; one who restrains and governs, as with a bridle. Milton.
Bridoon
Bri•doon´, n. [F. bridon, from bride; of German origin. See Bridle, n. ] (Mil.) The snaffle and rein of a military bridle, which acts independently of the bit, at the pleasure of the rider. It is used in connection with a curb bit, which has its own rein. Campbell.
Brief, a. [OE. bref, F. brief, bref, fr. L. brevis; akin to Gr. short, and perh. to Skr. barh to tear. Cf. Breve.]
1. Short in duration.
"How brief the life of man." - Shak.
2. Concise; terse; succinct.
"The brief style is that which expresseth much in little." - B. Jonson.
3. Rife; common; prevalent. [Prov. Eng.] In brief. See under Brief, n.
Syn. — Short; concise; succinct; summary; compendious; condensed; terse; curt; transitory; short-lived.
Brief (bref), n. [See Brief, a. , and cf. Breve.]
1. A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words.
"Bear this sealed brief,
With winged hastle, to the lord marshal." - Shak.
"And she told me
In a sweet, verbal brief." - Shak.
2. An epitome.
"Each woman is a brief of womankind." - Overbury.
3. (Law) An abridgment or concise statement of a client’s case, made out for the instruction of counsel in a trial at law. This word is applied also to a statement of the heads or points of a law argument.
"It was not without some reference to it that I perused many a brief." - Sir J. Stephen.
In England, the brief is prepared by the attorney; in the United States, counsel generally make up their own briefs.
4. (Law) A writ; a breve. See Breve, n. , 2.
5. (Scots Law) A writ issuing from the chancery, directed to any judge ordinary, commanding and authorizing that judge to call a jury to inquire into the case, and upon their verdict to pronounce sentence.
6. A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. [Eng.] Apostolical brief, a letter of the pope written on fine parchment in modern characters, subscribed by the secretary of briefs, dated "a die Nativitatis," i. e., "from the day of the Nativity," and sealed with the ring of the fisherman. It differs from a bull, in its parchment, written character, date, and seal. See Bull. — Brief of title, an abstract or abridgment of all the deeds and other papers constituting the chain of title to any real estate. — In brief, in a few words; in short; briefly. "Open the matter in brief." Shak.
Brief, v. t. To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as to brief pleadings.
Briefless
Brief´less, a. Having no brief; without clients; as a briefless barrister.
Briefman
Brief´man, n.
1. One who makes a brief.
2. A copier of a manuscript.
Briefness
Brief´ness, n. The quality of being brief; brevity; conciseness in discourse or writing. { Bri´er, Bri´ar }, n. [OE. brere, brer, AS. brer, braer; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.]
1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.
2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.
"The thorns and briers of reproof." - Cowper.
Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia and S. Walteri; — used for tobacco pipes. — Cat brier, Green brier, several species of Smilax ( S. rotundifolia, etc.) — Sweet brier ( Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier. - - Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina.
Brig (brig), n. A bridge. [Scot.] Burns.
Brig, n. [Shortened from Brigantine.] (Naut.) A two-masted, square-rigged vessel. Hermaphrodite brig, a two-masted vessel square- rigged forward and schooner-rigged aft. See Illustration in Appendix.
Brigade
Bri•gade´, n. [F. brigade, fr. It. brigata troop, crew, brigade, originally, a contending troop, fr. briga trouble, quarrel. See Brigand.]
1. (Mil.) A body of troops, whether cavalry, artillery, infantry, or mixed, consisting of two or more regiments, under the command of a brigadier general. Two or more brigades constitute a division, commanded by a major general; two or more divisions constitute an army corps, or corps d’armee. [U.S.]
2. Any body of persons organized for acting or marching together under authority; as a fire brigade. Brigade inspector, an officer whose duty is to inspect troops in companies before they are mustered into service. — Brigade major, an officer who may be attached to a brigade to assist the brigadier in his duties.
Brigade
Bri•gade´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brigaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Brigading.] (Mil.) To form into a brigade, or into brigades.
Brigand
Brig´and (brig"and), n. [F. brigand, OF. brigant light-armed soldier, fr. LL. brigans light-armed soldier (cf. It. brigante.) fr. brigare to strive, contend, fr. briga quarrel; prob. of German origin, and akin to E. break; cf. Goth. brikan to break, brakja strife. Cf. Brigue.]
1. A light-armed, irregular foot soldier. [Obs.]
2. A lawless fellow who lives by plunder; one of a band of robbers; especially, one of a gang living in mountain retreats; a highwayman; a freebooter.
"Giving them not a little the air of brigands or banditti." - Jeffery.
Brigandine
Brig´an•dine, n. [F. brigandine (cf. It. brigantina), fr. OF. brigant. See Brigand.] A coast of armor for the body, consisting of scales or plates, sometimes overlapping each other, generally of metal, and sewed to linen or other material. It was worn in the Middle Ages. [Written also brigantine.] Jer. xlvi. 4.
"Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet,
And brigandine of brass." - Milton.
Brigandish
Brig´and•ish, a. Like a brigand or freebooter; robberlike.
Brigantine
Brig´an•tine, n. [F. brigantin, fr. It. brigantino, originally, a practical vessel. See Brigand, and cf. Brig]
1. A practical vessel. [Obs.]
2. A two-masted, square-rigged vessel, differing from a brig in that she does not carry a square mainsail.
3. See Brigandine.
Bright, v. i. See Brite, v. i.
Bright, n. Splendor; brightness. [Poetic]
"Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appear." - Milton.
Bright, adv. Brightly. Chaucer.
"I say it is the moon that shines so bright." - Shak.
Brighten
Bright´en, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brightened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brightening.] [From Bright, a. ]
1. To make bright or brighter; to make to shine; to increase the luster of; to give a brighter hue to.
2. To make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to.
"The present queen would brighten her character, if she would exert her authority to instill virtues into her people." - Swift.
3. To improve or relieve by dispelling gloom or removing that which obscures and darkens; to shed light upon; to make cheerful; as to brighten one’s prospects.
"An ecstasy, which mothers only feel,
Plays round my heart and brightens all my sorrow." - Philips.
4. To make acute or witty; to enliven. Johnson.
Bright-harnessed
Bright´-har•nessed, a. Having glittering armor. [Poetic] Milton.
Brightness
Bright´ness, n. [AS. beorhines. See Bright.]
1. The quality or state of being bright; splendor; luster; brilliancy; clearness.
"A sudden brightness in his face appear." - Crabbe.
2. Acuteness (of the faculties); sharpness 9wit.
"The brightness of his parts … distinguished him." - Prior.
Syn. — Splendor; luster; radiance; resplendence; brilliancy; effulgence; glory; clearness.
Brightsome
Bright´some, a. Bright; clear; luminous; brilliant. [R.] Marlowe.
Brigose
Bri•gose´, a. [LL. brigosus, It. brigoso. See Brigue, n. ] Contentious; quarrelsome. [Obs.] Puller.
Brigue, n. [F. brigue, fr. LL. briga quarrel. See Brigand.] A cabal, intrigue, faction, contention, strife, or quarrel. [Obs.] Chesterfield.
Brigue, v. i. [F. briguer. See Brigue, n. ] To contend for; to canvass; to solicit. [Obs.] Bp. Hurd.
Brike, n. [AS. brice.] A breach; ruin; downfall; peril. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Brill (bril), n. [Cf. Corn. brilli mackerel, fr. brith streaked, speckled.] (Zoöl.) A fish allied to the turbot ( Rhombus levis), much esteemed in England for food; — called also bret, pearl, prill. See Bret.
Brillante
Bril•lan´te, adv. [It. See Brilliant, a. ] (Mus.) In a gay, showy, and sparkling style.
Brilliance
Bril´liance (bril"y an•s), n. Brilliancy. Tennyson.
Brilliancy
Bril´lian•cy (bril"y an•sy), n. [See Brilliant.] The quality of being brilliant; splendor; glitter; great brightness, whether in a literal or figurative sense.
"With many readers brilliancy of style passes for affluence of thought." - Longfellow.
Brilliant
Bril´liant (bril"y ant), a. [F. brillant, p. pr. of briller to shine or sparkle (cf. Pr. & Sp. brillar, It. brillare), fr. L. beryllus a precious stone of sea-green color, Prov. It. brill. See Beryl.]
1. Sparkling with luster; glittering; very bright; as a brilliant star.
2. Distinguished by qualities which excite admiration; splendid; shining; as brilliant talents.
"Washington was more solicitous to avoid fatal mistakes than to perform brilliant exploits." - Fisher Ames.
Syn. — See Shining.
Brilliant
Bril´liant, n. [F. brillant. See Brilliant, a. ]
1. A diamond or other gem of the finest cut, formed into faces and facets, so as to reflect and refract the light, by which it is rendered more brilliant. It has at the middle, or top, a principal face, called the table, which is surrounded by a number of sloping facets forming a bizet; below, it has a small face or collet, parallel to the table, connected with the girdle by a pavilion of elongated facets. It is thus distinguished from the rose diamond, which is entirely covered with facets on the surface, and is flat below.
"This snuffbox — on the hinge see brilliants shine." - Pope.
2. (Print.) The smallest size of type used in England printing. This line is printed in the type called Brilliant.
3. A kind of cotton goods, figured on the weaving.
Brilliantine
Bril´lian•tine, n. [F. brillantine. See lst Brilliant.]
1. An oily composition used to make the hair glossy.
2. A dress fabric having a glossy finish on both sides, resembling alpaca but of superior quality.
Brilliantness
Bril´liant•ness, n. Brilliancy; splendor; glitter.
Brills, n. pl. [CF. G. brille spectacles, D. bril, fr. L. berillus. See Brilliant.] The hair on the eyelids of a horse. Bailey.
Brim, n. [OE. brim, brimme, AS. brymme edge, border; akin to Icel. barmr, Sw. bräm, Dan. braemme, G. brame, bräme. Possibly the same word as AS. brim surge, sea, and properly meaning, the line of surf at the border of the sea, and akin to L. fremere to roar, murmur. Cf. Breeze a fly.]
1. The rim, border, or upper edge of a cup, dish, or any hollow vessel used for holding anything.
"Saw I that insect on this goblet’s brim
I would remove it with an anxious pity." - Coleridge.
2. The edge or margin, as of a fountain, or of the water contained in it; the brink; border.
"The feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water." - Josh. iii. 15.
3. The rim of a hat. Wordsworth.
Brim, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Brimmed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brimming.] To be full to the brim. "The brimming stream." Milton. To brim over (literally or figuratively), to be so full that some of the contents flows over the brim; as a cup brimming over with wine; a man brimming over with fun.
Brimstone
Brim´stone, n. [OE. brimston, bremston, bernston, brenston; cf. Icel. brennistein. See Burn, v. t., and Stone.] Sulphur; See Sulphur.
Brimstony
Brim´sto•ny, a. Containing or resembling brimstone; sulphurous. B. Jonson.
Brinded
Brin´ded, a. [Cf. Icel. bröndottr brindled, fr. brandr brand; and OE. bernen, brinnen, to burn. See Brand, Burn.] Of a gray or tawny color with streaks of darker hue; streaked; brindled. "Three brinded cows," Dryden. "The brinded cat." Shak.
Brindle
Brin´dle, n. [See Brindled.]
1. The state of being brindled.
2. A brindled color; also that which is brindled.
Brine, n. [AS. bryne a burning, salt liquor, brine, fr. brinnan, brynnan, to burn. See Burn.]
1. Water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt; pickle; hence, any strong saline solution; also the saline residue or strong mother liquor resulting from the evaporation of natural or artificial waters.
2. The ocean; the water of an ocean, sea, or salt lake.
"Not long beneath the whelming brine … he lay." - Cowper.
3. Tears; — so called from their saltness.
"What a deal of brine
Hath washed thy sallow cheecks for
Rosaline!" - Shak.
Brine fly (Zoöl.), a fly of the genus Ephydra, the larvae of which live in artificial brines and in salt lakes. — Brine gauge, an instrument for measuring the saltness of a liquid. — Brine pan, a pit or pan of salt water, where salt is formed by cristallization. — Brine pit, a salt spring or well, from which water is taken to be boiled or evaporated for making salt. — Brine pump (Marine Engin.), a pump for changing the water in the boilers, so as to clear them of the brine which collects at the bottom. — Brine shrimp, Brine worm (Zoöl.), a phyllopod crustacean of the genus Artemia, inhabiting the strong brines of salt works and natural salt lakes. See Artemia. — Brine spring, a spring of salt water. — Leach brine (Saltmaking), brine which drops from granulated salt in drying, and is preserved to be boiled again.
Brine, v. t.
1. To steep or saturate in brine.
2. To sprinkle with salt or brine; as to brine hay.
Bring, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brought ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bringing.] [OE. bringen, AS. bringan; akin to OS. brengian, D. brengen, Fries. brenga, OHG. bringan, G. bringen, Goth. briggan.]
1. To convey to the place where the speaker is or is to be; to bear from a more distant to a nearer place; to fetch.
"And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread." - 1 Kings xvii. 11.
"To France shall we convey you safe,
And bring you back." - Shak.
2. To cause the accession or obtaining of; to procure; to make to come; to produce; to draw to.
"There is nothing will bring you more honor … than to do what right in justice you may." - Bacon.
3. To convey; to move; to carry or conduct.
"In distillation, the water … brings over with it some part of the oil of vitriol." - Sir I. Newton.
4. To persuade; to induce; to draw; to lead; to guide.
"It seems so preposterous a thing … that they do not easily bring themselves to it." - Locke.
"The nature of the things … would not suffer him to think otherwise, how, or whensoever, he is brought to reflect on them." - Locke.
5. To produce in exchange; to sell for; to fetch; as what does coal bring per ton? To bring about, to bring to pass; to effect; to accomplish. — To bring back. (a) To recall. (b) To restore, as something borrowed, to its owner. — To bring by the lee (Naut.), to incline so rapidly to leeward of the course, when a ship sails large, as to bring the lee side suddenly to the windward, any by laying the sails aback, expose her to danger of upsetting. — To bring down. (a) To cause to come down. (b) To humble or abase; as to bring down high looks. — To bring down the house, to cause tremendous applause. [Colloq.] — To bring forth. (a) To produce, as young fruit. (b) To bring to light; to make manifest. — To bring forward (a) To exhibit; to introduce; to produce to view. (b) To hasten; to promote; to forward. (c) To propose; to adduce; as to bring forward arguments. — To bring home. (a) To bring to one’s house. (b) To prove conclusively; as to bring home a charge of treason. (c) To cause one to feel or appreciate by personal experience. (d) (Naut.) To lift of its place, as an anchor. — To bring in. (a) To fetch from without; to import. (b) To introduce, as a bill in a deliberative assembly. (c) To return or repot to, or lay before, a court or other body; to render; as to bring in a verdict or a report. (d) To take to an appointed place of deposit or collection; as to bring in provisions or money for a specified object. (e) To produce, as income. (f) To induce to join. — To bring off, to bear or convey away; to clear from condemnation; to cause to escape. — To bring on. (a) To cause to begin. (b) To originate or cause to exist; as to bring on a disease. — To bring one on one’s way, to accompany, guide, or attend one. — To bring out, to expose; to detect; to bring to light from concealment. — To bring over. (a) To fetch or bear across. (b) To convert by persuasion or other means; to cause to change sides or an opinion. — To bring to. (a) To resuscitate; to bring back to consciousness or life, as a fainting person. (b) (Naut.) To check the course of, as of a ship, by dropping the anchor, or by counterbracing the sails so as to keep her nearly stationary (she is then said to lie to). (c) To cause (a vessel) to lie to, as by firing across her course. (d) To apply a rope to the capstan. — To bring to light, to disclose; to discover; to make clear; to reveal. — To bring a sail to (Naut.), to bend it to the yard. — To bring to pass, to accomplish to effect. "Trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." Ps. xxxvii. 5. — To bring under, to subdue; to restrain; to reduce to obedience. — To bring up. (a) To carry upward; to nurse; to rear; to educate. (b) To cause to stop suddenly. (c) [ v. i. by dropping the reflexive pronoun] To stop suddenly; to come to a standstill. [Colloq.] — To bring up (any one) with a round turn, to cause (any one) to stop abruptly. [Colloq.] — To be brought to bed. See under Bed.
Syn. — To fetch; bear; carry; convey; transport; import; procure; produce; cause; adduce; induce.
Brininess
Brin´i•ness, n. The state or quality of being briny; saltness; brinishness.
Brinish
Brin´ish, a. Like brine; somewhat salt; saltish. "Brinish tears." Shak.
Brinishness
Brin´ish•ness, n. State or quality of being brinish.
Brinjaree
Brin´ja•ree, n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) A rough-haired East Indian variety of the greyhound.
Briny
Brin´y, a. [From Brine.] Of or pertaining to brine, or to the sea; partaking of the nature of brine; salt; as a briny taste; the briny flood.
Briony
Bri´o•ny, n. See Bryony. Tennyson.
Brisk, v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Bricked ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bricking.] To make or become lively; to enliven; to animate; to take, or cause to take, an erect or bold attitude; — usually with up.
Brisket
Bris´ket, n. [OE. bruskette, OF. bruschet, F. brechet, brichet; prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. brysced the breast of a slain animal, brisket, Corn. vrys breast, Armor. brusk, bruched, the front of the chest, Gael. brisgein the cartilaginous part of a bone.] That part of the breast of an animal which extends from the fore legs back beneath the ribs; also applied to the fore part of a horse, from the shoulders to the bottom of the chest. [See Illust. of Beef.]
Briskness
Brisk´ness, n. Liveliness; vigor in action; quickness; gayety; vivacity; effervescence.
Bristle
Bris´tle, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bristled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bristling .]
1. To erect the bristles of; to cause to stand up, as the bristles of an angry hog; — sometimes with up.
"Now for the bare-picked bone of majesty
Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest." - Shak.
"Boy, bristle thy courage up." - Shak.
2. To fix a bristle to; as to bristle a thread.
Bristle-pointed
Bris´tle-point•ed, a. (Bot.) Terminating in a very fine, sharp point, as some leaves.
Bristle-shaped
Bris´tle-shaped, a. Resembling a bristle in form; as a bristle-shaped leaf.
Bristliness
Bris´tli•ness, n. The quality or state of having bristles.
Briton
Brit´on, a. [AS. bryten Britain.] British. [Obs.] Spenser. — n. A native of Great Britain.
Brittle
Brit´tle, a. [OE. britel, brutel, AS. bryttian to dispense, fr. breótan to break; akin to Icel. brytja, Sw. bryta, Dan. bryde. Cf. Brickle.] Easily broken; apt to break; fragile; not tough or tenacious.
"Farewell, thou pretty, brittle piece
Of fine-cut crystal." - Cotton.
Brittle silver ore, the mineral stephanite.
Brittle star
Brit"tle star (brit"t’l stär•), (Zoöl.) Any species of ophiuran starfishes. See Ophiuroidea.
Broach, n. [OE. broche, F. broche, fr. LL. brocca; prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. proc thrust, stab, Gael. brog awl. Cf. Brooch.]
1. A spit. [Obs.]
"He turned a broach that had worn a crown." - Bacon.
2. An awl; a bodkin; also a wooden rod or pin, sharpened at each end, used by thatchers. [Prov. Eng.] Forby.
3. (Mech.) (a) A tool of steel, generally tapering, and of a polygonal form, with from four to eight cutting edges, for smoothing or enlarging holes in metal; sometimes made smooth or without edges, as for burnishing pivot holes in watches; a reamer. The broach for gun barrels is commonly square and without taper. (b) A straight tool with file teeth, made of steel, to be pressed through irregular holes in metal that cannot be dressed by revolving tools; a drift.
4. (Masonry) A broad chisel for stonecutting.
5. (Arch.) A spire rising from a tower. [Local, Eng.]
6. A clasp for fastening a garment. See Brooch.
7. A spitlike start, on the head of a young stag.
8. The stick from which candle wicks are suspended for dipping. Knight.
9. The pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key.
Broach, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Broached ; p. pr. & vb. n. Broaching.] [F. brocher, fr. broche. See Broach, n. ]
1. To spit; to pierce as with a spit.
"I’ll broach the tadpole on my rapier’s point." - Shak.
2. To tap; to pierce, as a cask, in order to draw the liquor. Hence: To let out; to shed, as blood.
"Whereat with blade, with bloody blameful blade,
He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast." - Shak.
3. To open for the first time, as stores.
"You shall want neither weapons, victuals, nor aid; I will open the old armories, I will broach my store, and will bring forth my stores." - Knolles.
4. To make public; to utter; to publish first; to put forth; to introduce as a topic of conversation.
"Those very opinions themselves had broached." - Swift.
5. To cause to begin or break out. [Obs.] Shak.
6. (Masonry) To shape roughly, as a block of stone, by chiseling with a coarse tool. [Scot. & North of Eng.]
7. To enlarge or dress (a hole), by using a broach. To broach to (Naut.), to incline suddenly to windward, so as to lay the sails aback, and expose the vessel to the danger of oversetting.
Broad, a. [ Compar. Broader ; superl. Broadest.] [OE. brod, brad, AS. brad; akin to OS. bred, D. breed, G. breit, Icel. breir, Sw. & Dan. bred, Goth. braids. Cf. Breadth.]
1. Wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; — opposed to narrow; as a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad.
2. Extending far and wide; extensive; vast; as the broad expanse of ocean.
3. Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full. "Broad and open day." Bp. Porteus.
4. Fig.: Having a large measure of any thing or quality; not limited; not restrained; — applied to any subject, and retaining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive.
"A broad mixture of falsehood." - Locke.
Hence: -
5. Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged.
"The words in the Constitution are broad enough to include the case." - D. Daggett.
"In a broad, statesmanlike, and masterly way." - E. Everett.
6. Plain; evident; as a broad hint.
7. Free; unrestrained; unconfined.
"As broad and general as the casing air." - Shak.
8. (Fine Arts) Characterized by breadth. See Breadth.
9. Cross; coarse; indelicate; as a broad compliment; a broad joke; broad humor.
10. Strongly marked; as a broad Scotch accent. Broad is often used in compounds to signify wide, large, etc.; as broad-chested, broad-shouldered, broad-spreading, broad-winged. Broad acres. See under Acre. — Broad arrow, originally a pheon. See Pheon, and Broad arrow under Arrow. — As broad as long, having the length equal to the breadth; hence, the same one way as another; coming to the same result by different ways or processes.
"It is as broad as long, whether they rise to others, or bring others down to them. L’Estrange." Broad pennant. See under Pennant.
Syn. — Wide; large; ample; expanded; spacious; roomy; extensive; vast; comprehensive; liberal.
Broad gauge
Broad" gauge . (Railroad) A wider distance between the rails than the "standard" gauge of four feet eight inches and a half. See Gauge.
Broad seal
Broad" seal . The great seal of England; the public seal of a country or state.
Broadbill
Broad´bill, n.
1. (Zoöl.) A wild duck ( Aythya, or Fuligula, marila), which appears in large numbers on the eastern coast of the United States, in autumn; — called also bluebill, blackhead, raft duck, and scaup duck. See Scaup duck.
2. (Zoöl.) The shoveler. See Shoveler.
Broad-brimmed
Broad´-brimmed, a. Having a broad brim.
"A broad-brimmed flat silver plate." - Tatler.
Broaden
Broad´en, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Broadened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Broadening .] [From Broad, a. ] To grow broad; to become broader or wider.
"The broadening sun appears." - Wordsworth.
Broaden
Broad´en, v. t. To make broad or broader; to render more broad or comprehensive.
Broad-horned
Broad´-horned, a. Having horns spreading widely.
Broadmouth
Broad´mouth, n. (Zoöl.) One of the Eurylaimidae, a family of East Indian passerine birds.
Broadpiece
Broad´piece, n. An old English gold coin, broader than a guinea, as a Carolus or Jacobus.
Brocade
Bro•cade´, n. [Sp. brocado (cf. It. broccato, F. brocart), fr. LL. brocare •prick, to figure (textile fabrics), to emboss (linen), to stitch. See Broach.] Silk stuff, woven with gold and silver threads, or ornamented with raised flowers, foliage, etc.; — also applied to other stuffs thus wrought and enriched.
"A gala suit of faded brocade." - W. Irving.
Brocatel
Bro´ca•tel, n. [F. brocatelle, fr. It. brocatello: cf. Sp. brocatel. See Brocade.]
1. A kind of coarse brocade, or figured fabric, used chiefly for tapestry, linings for carriages, etc.
2. A marble, clouded and veined with white, gray, yellow, and red, in which the yellow usually prevails. It is also called Siena marble, from its locality.
Broccoli
Broc´co•li, n. [It. broccoli, pl. of broccolo sprout, cabbage sprout, dim. of brocco splinter. See Broach, n. ] (Bot.) A plant of the Cabbage species ( Brassica oleracea) of many varieties, resembling the cauliflower. The "curd," or flowering head, is the part used for food.
Broche
Bro•che´, a. [F.] Woven with a figure; as broche goods.
Broche, n. [F.] See Broach, n.
Broche
Bro•che´ (bro•sha"), a. Stitched; — said of a book with no cover or only a paper one.
Brochette
Bro•chette´ (bro•shet"), n. [F., dim. of broche. See Broach, n. ] (Cookery) A small spit or skewer. — En bro•chette" (än) [F.], on a brochette; skewered. { Brock"en spec"terspec´tre }. [Trans. of G. Brockengespenst.] A mountain specter (which see), esp. that observed on the Brocken, in the Harz Mountains.
Brochure
Bro•chure´, n. [F., fr. brocher to stitch. See Broach, v. t.] A printed and stitched book containing only a few leaves; a pamphlet.
Brock, n. [See Brocket.] (Zoöl.) A brocket. Bailey.
Brodekin
Brode´kin (brod"kin), n. [F. brodequin, OE. brossequin, fr. OD. broseken, brosekin, dim. of broos buskin, prob. fr. LL. byrsa leather, Gr. by•rsa skin, hide. Cf. Buskin.] A buskin or half-boot. [Written also brodequin.] [Obs.]
Brog (brog), n. [Gael. Cf. Brob.] A pointed instrument, as a joiner’s awl, a brad awl, a needle, or a small sharp stick.
Broggle
Brog´gle, v. i. [Dim. of Prov. E. brog to broggle. Cf. Brog, n. ] To sniggle, or fish with a brog. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
Brogue, n. [Ir. & Gael. brog shoe, hoof.]
1. A stout, coarse shoe; a brogan. In the Highlands of Scotland, the ancient brogue was made of horsehide or deerskin, untanned or tenned with the hair on, gathered round the ankle with a thong. The name was afterward given to any shoe worn as a part of the Highland costume. Clouted brogues, patched brogues; also brogues studded with nails. See under Clout, v. t.
2. A dialectic pronunciation; esp. the Irish manner of pronouncing English.
"Or take, Hibernis, thy still ranker brogue." - Lloyd.
Brogues, n. pl. [Cf. Breeches.] Breeches. [Obs.] Shenstone.
Broider
Broid´er, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Broidered .] [OE. broiden, brouden, F. broder, confused with E. braid; F. broder is either the same word as border to border (see Border), or perh. of Celtic origin; cf. W. brathu to sting, stab, Ir. & Gael. brod goad, prickle, OE. brod a goad; and also Icel. broddr a spike, a sting, AS. brord a point.] To embroider. [Archaic]
"They shall make a broidered coat." - Ex. xxviii. 4.
Broidery
Broid´er•y, n. Embroidery. [Archaic]
"The golden broidery tender Milkah wove." - Tickell.
Broil, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Broiled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Broiling.] [OE. broilen, OF. bruillir, fr. bruir to broil, burn; of Ger. origin; cf. MHG. brüejen, G. brühen, to scald, akin to E. brood.]
1. To cook by direct exposure to heat over a fire, esp. upon a gridiron over coals.
2. To subject to great (commonly direct) heat.
Broiling
Broil´ing, a. Excessively hot; as a broiling sun. — n. The act of causing anything to broil.
Broke, v. i. [See Broker, and cf. Brook.]
1. To transact business for another. [R.] Brome.
2. To act as procurer in love matters; to pimp. [Obs.]
"We do want a certain necessary woman to broke between them, Cupid said." - Fanshawe.
"And brokes with all that can in such a suit
Corrupt the tender honor of a maid." - Shak.
Broken
Bro´ken (bro"k’n), a. [From Break, v. t.]
1. Separated into parts or pieces by violence; divided into fragments; as a broken chain or rope; a broken dish.
2. Disconnected; not continuous; also rough; uneven; as a broken surface.
3. Fractured; cracked; disunited; sundered; strained; apart; as a broken reed; broken friendship.
4. Made infirm or weak, by disease, age, or hardships.
"The one being who remembered him as he been before his mind was broken." - G. Eliot.
"The broken soldier, kindly bade to stay,
Sat by his fire, and talked the night away." - Goldsmith.
5. Subdued; humbled; contrite.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit." - Ps. li. 17.
6. Subjugated; trained for use, as a horse.
7. Crushed and ruined as by something that destroys hope; blighted. "Her broken love and life." G. Eliot.
8. Not carried into effect; not adhered to; violated; as a broken promise, vow, or contract; a broken law.
9. Ruined financially; incapable of redeeming promises made, or of paying debts incurred; as a broken bank; a broken tradesman.
10. Imperfectly spoken, as by a foreigner; as broken English; imperfectly spoken on account of emotion; as to say a few broken words at parting.
"Amidst the broken words and loud weeping of those grave senators." - Macaulay.
Broken ground. (a) (Mil.) Rough or uneven ground; as the troops were retarded in their advance by broken ground. (b) Ground recently opened with the plow. — Broken line (Geom.), the straight lines which join a number of given points taken in some specified order. — Broken meat, fragments of meat or other food. — Broken number, a fraction. — Broken weather, unsettled weather.
Broken-bellied
Bro´ken-bel•lied, a. Having a ruptured belly. [R.]
Broken-winded
Bro´ken-wind•ed, a. (Far.) Having short breath or disordered respiration, as a horse.
Broker
Bro´ker (bro"ker), n. [OE. brocour, from a word akin to broken, bruken, to use, enjoy, possess, digest, fr. AS. brucan to use, enjoy; cf. Fries. broker, F. brocanteur. See Brook, v. t.]
1. One who transacts business for another; an agent.
2. (Law) An agent employed to effect bargains and contracts, as a middleman or negotiator, between other persons, for a compensation commonly called brokerage. He takes no possession, as broker, of the subject matter of the negotiation. He generally contracts in the names of those who employ him, and not in his own. Story.
3. A dealer in money, notes, bills of exchange, etc.
4. A dealer in secondhand goods. [Eng.]
5. A pimp or procurer. [Obs.] Shak. Bill broker, one who buys and sells notes and bills of exchange. — Curbstone broker or Street broker, an operator in stocks (not a member of the Stock Exchange) who executes orders by running from office to office, or by transactions on the street. [U.S.] — Exchange broker, one who buys and sells uncurrent money, and deals in exchanges relating to money. — Insurance broker, one who is agent in procuring insurance on vessels, or against fire. — Pawn broker. See Pawnbroker. — Real estate broker, one who buys and sells lands, and negotiates loans, etc., upon mortgage. - - Ship broker, one who acts as agent in buying and selling ships, procuring freight, etc. — Stock broker. See Stockbroker.
Bromalin
Bro´ma•lin, n. [From Bromine.] (Pharm.) A colorless or white crystalline compound, (CH2)6N4C2H5Br, used as a sedative in epilepsy.
Bromate
Bro´mate, n. (Chem.) A salt of bromic acid.
Bromate
Bro´mate, v. t. (Med.) To combine or impregnate with bromine; as bromated camphor.
Bromatologist
Bro•ma•tol´o•gist, n. One versed in the science of foods.
Bromatology
Bro•ma•tol´o•gy, n. [Gr.,, food + -logy.] The science of aliments. Dunglison.
Bromide
Bro´mide, n. (Chem.) A compound of bromine with a positive radical.
Bromine
Bro´mine, n. [Gr. bad smell, stink. Cf. Brome.] (Chem.) One of the elements, related in its chemical qualities to chlorine and iodine. Atomic weight 79.8. Symbol Br. It is a deep reddish brown liquid of a very disagreeable odor, emitting a brownish vapor at the ordinary temperature. In combination it is found in minute quantities in sea water, and in many saline springs. It occurs also in the mineral bromyrite.
Bromize
Bro´mize, v. t. (Photog.) To prepare or treat with bromine; as to bromize a silvered plate.
Bromoiodized
Bro•mo•i´o•dized, a. (Photog.) Treated with bromides and iodides.
Bromuret
Brom´u•ret, n. See Bromide. [Obs.]
Bronchia
Bron´chi•a, n. pl. [L., pl. Cf. Bronchus.] (Anat.) The bronchial tubes which arise from the branching of the trachea, esp. the subdivision of the bronchi. Dunglison.
Bronchial
Bron´chi•al, a. [Cf. F. bronchial. See Bronchia.] (Anat.) Belonging to the bronchi and their ramifications in the lungs. Bronchial arteries, branches of the descending aorta, accompanying the bronchia in all their ramifications. — Bronchial cells, the air cells terminating the bronchia. — Bronchial glands, glands whose functions are unknown, seated along the bronchia. — Bronchial membrane, the mucous membrane lining the bronchia. — Bronchial tube, the bronchi, or the bronchia.
Bronchitic
Bron•chit´ic, a. Of or pertaining to bronchitis; as bronchitic inflammation.
Bronchocele
Bron´cho•cele, n. [Gr. ; windpipe + tumor.] (Med.) See Goiter.
Bronchus
Bron´chus, n. ; pl. Bronchi . [NL., fr. Gr. windpipe. Cf. Bronchia.] (Anat.) One of the subdivisions of the trachea or windpipe; esp. one of the two primary divisions.
Brond, n. [See Brand.] A sword. [Obs.] { Bron´to•lite, Bron´to•lith } n. [Gr. + -lite, -lith.] An aërolite. [R.]
Brontology
Bron•tol´o•gy, n. [Gr. thunder + -logy.] A treatise upon thunder.
Bronze, n. [F. bronze, fr. It. bronzo brown, fr. OHG. brn, G. braun. See Brown, a. ]
1. An alloy of copper and tin, to which small proportions of other metals, especially zinc, are sometimes added. It is hard and sonorous, and is used for statues, bells, cannon, etc., the proportions of the ingredients being varied to suit the particular purposes. The varieties containing the higher proportions of tin are brittle, as in bell metal and speculum metal.
2. A statue, bust, etc., cast in bronze.
"A print, a bronze, a flower, a root." - Prior.
3. A yellowish or reddish brown, the color of bronze; also a pigment or powder for imitating bronze.
4. Boldness; impudence; "brass."
"Imbrowned with native bronze, lo! Henley stands." - Pope.
Aluminium bronze. See under Aluminium. — Bronze age, an age of the world which followed the stone age, and was characterized by the use of implements and ornaments of copper or bronze. — Bronze powder, a metallic powder, used with size or in combination with painting, to give the appearance of bronze, gold, or other metal, to any surface. — Phosphor bronze ∧ Silicious or Silicium bronze are made by adding phosphorus and silicon respectively to ordinary bronze, and are characterized by great tenacity.
Bronze, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bronzed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bronzing.] [Cf. F. bronzer. See Bronze, n. ]
1. To give an appearance of bronze to, by a coating of bronze powder, or by other means; to make of the color of bronze; as to bronze plaster casts; to bronze coins or medals.
"The tall bronzed black-eyed stranger." - W. Black.
2. To make hard or unfeeling; to brazen.
"The lawer who bronzes his bosom instead of his forehead." - Sir W. Scott.
Bronzed skin disease. (Pathol.) See Addison’s disease.
Bronze steel. A hard tough alloy of tin, copper, and iron, which can be used for guns.
Bronzist
Bronz´ist, n. One who makes, imitates, collects, or deals in, bronzes.
Brooch (broch; 277), n. [See Broach, n. ]
1. An ornament, in various forms, with a tongue, pin, or loop for attaching it to a garment; now worn at the breast by women; a breastpin. Formerly worn by men on the hat.
"Honor ’s a good brooch to wear in a man’s hat." - B. Jonson.
2. (Paint.) A painting all of one color, as a sepia painting, or an India painting.
Brooch, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brooched (brocht).] To adorn as with a brooch. [R.]
Brood (brood), n. [OE. brod, AS. brod; akin to D. broed, OHG. bruot, G. brut, and also to G. brühe broth, MHG. brüeje, and perh. to E. brawn, breath. Cf. Breed, v. t.]
1. The young birds hatched at one time; a hatch; as a brood of chickens.
"As a hen doth gather her brood under her wings." - Luke xiii. 34.
"A hen followed by a brood of ducks." - Spectator.
2. The young from the same dam, whether produced at the same time or not; young children of the same mother, especially if nearly of the same age; offspring; progeny; as a woman with a brood of children.
"The lion roars and gluts his tawny brood." - Wordsworth.
3. That which is bred or produced; breed; species.
"Flocks of the airy brood,
(Cranes, geese or long-necked swans)." - Chapman.
4. (Mining) Heavy waste in tin and copper ores. To sit on brood, to ponder. [Poetic] Shak.
Brood (broch), v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Brooded; p. pr. & vb. n. Brooding.]
1. To sit on and cover eggs, as a fowl, for the purpose of warming them and hatching the young; or to sit over and cover young, as a hen her chickens, in order to warm and protect them; hence, to sit quietly, as if brooding.
"Birds of calm sir brooding on the charmed wave." - Milton.
2. To have the mind dwell continuously or moodily on a subject; to think long and anxiously; to be in a state of gloomy, serious thought; — usually followed by over or on; as to brood over misfortunes.
"Brooding on unprofitable gold." - Dryden.
"Brooding over all these matters, the mother felt like one who has evoked a spirit." - Hawthorne.
"When with downcast eyes we muse and brood." - Tennyson.
Brook, n. [OE. brok, broke, brook, AS. broc; akin to D. broek, LG. brok, marshy ground, OHG. pruoh, G. bruch marsh; prob. fr. the root of E. break, so as that it signifies water breaking through the earth, a spring or brook, as well as a marsh. See Break, v. t.] A natural stream of water smaller than a river or creek.
"The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water." - Deut. viii. 7.
"Empires itself, as doth an inland brook
Into the main of waters." - Shak.
Brook, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brooked ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brooking.] [OE. broken, bruken, to use, enjoy, digest, AS. brcan; akin to D. gebruiken to use, OHG. prhhan, G. brauchen, gebrauchen, Icel. brka, Goth. brkjan, and L. frui, to enjoy. Cf. Fruit, Broker.]
1. To use; to enjoy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To bear; to endure; to put up with; to tolerate; as young men can not brook restraint. Spenser.
"Shall we, who could not brook one lord,
Crouch to the wicked ten?" - Macaulay.
3. To deserve; to earn. [Obs.] Sir J. Hawkins.
Broom, n. [OE. brom, brome, AS. brom; akin to LG. bram, D. brem, OHG. bramo broom, thornbush, G. brombeere blackberry. Cf. Bramble, n. ]
1. (Bot.) A plant having twigs suitable for making brooms to sweep with when bound together; esp., the Cytisus scoparius of Western Europe, which is a low shrub with long, straight, green, angular branches, minute leaves, and large yellow flowers.
"No gypsy cowered o’er fires of furze and broom." - Wordsworth.
2. An implement for sweeping floors, etc., commonly made of the panicles or tops of broom corn, bound together or attached to a long wooden handle; — so called because originally made of the twigs of the broom. Butcher’s broom, a plant ( Ruscus aculeatus) of the Smilax family, used by butchers for brooms to sweep their blocks; — called also knee holly. See Cladophyll. — Dyer’s broom, a species of mignonette ( Reseda luteola), used for dyeing yellow; dyer’s weed; dyer’s rocket. — Spanish broom. See under Spanish.
Broomstick
Broom´stick, n. A stick used as a handle of a broom.
Brose, n. [CF. Gael. brothas. Cf. Brewis, Broth.] Pottage made by pouring some boiling liquid on meal (esp. oatmeal), and stirring it. It is called beef brose, water brose, etc., according to the name of the liquid (beef broth, hot water, etc.) used. [Scot.]
Broth, n. [AS. bro; akin to OHG. brod, brot; cf. Ir. broth, Gael. brot. rad.93. Cf. Brewis, Brew.] Liquid in which flesh (and sometimes other substances, as barley or rice) has been boiled; thin or simple soup.
"I am sure by your unprejudiced discourses that you love broth better than soup." - Addison.
Brothel
Broth´el, n. [OE. brothel, brodel, brethel, a prostitute, a worthless fellow, fr. AS. beróan to ruin, destroy; cf. AS. breótan to break, and E. brittle. The term brothel house was confused with bordel brothel. CF. Bordel.] A house of lewdness or ill fame; a house frequented by prostitutes; a bawdyhouse.
Brothelry
Broth´el•ry, n. Lewdness; obscenity; a brothel. B. Jonson.
Brother
Broth´er (bruth"er), n. ; pl. Brothers (bruth"erz) or Brethren (breth"ren). See Brethren. [OE. brother, AS. broðor; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. broðir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. broþar, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat’, Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratru, L. frater, Skr. bhratr, Zend bratar brother, Gr. fra•thr, fra•twr, a clansman. The common plural is Brothers; in the solemn style, Brethren, OE. pl. brether, bretheren, AS. dat. sing. breðer, nom. pl. broðor, broðru. rad.258. Cf. Friar, Fraternal.]
1. A male person who has the same father and mother with another person, or who has one of them only. In the latter case he is more definitely called a half brother, or brother of the half blood.
"Two of us in the churchyard lie,
My sister and my brother." - Wordsworth.
2. One related or closely united to another by some common tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a society, toil, suffering, etc.; — used among judges, clergymen, monks, physicians, lawyers, professors of religion, etc. "A brother of your order." Shak.
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother." - Shak.
3. One who, or that which, resembles another in distinctive qualities or traits of character.
"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." - Prov. xviii. 9.
"That April morn
Of this the very brother." - Wordsworth.
In Scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote than a son of the same parents, as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for fellow-man or fellow-men.
"For of whom such massacre
Make they but of their brethren, men of men?" - Milton.
Brother Jonathan, a humorous designation for the people of the United States collectively. The phrase is said to have originated from Washington’s referring to the patriotic Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, as "Brother Jonathan." — Blood brother. See under Blood.
Brother
Broth´er, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brothered .] To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit to a brotherhood. Sir W. Scott.
Brotherliness
Broth´er•li•ness, n. The state or quality of being brotherly.
Brouded
Broud´ed, p.a. Braided; broidered. [Obs.]
"Alle his clothes brouded up and down." - Chaucer.
Brow, n. [OE. browe, bruwe, AS. br; akin to AS. brw, breáw, eyelid, OFries. bre, D. braauw, Icel. bra, brn, OHG. prawa, G. braue, OSlav. brv, Russ. brove, Ir. brai, Ir. & Gael. abhra, Armor. abrant, Gr., Skr. bhr. Cf. Bray a bank, Bridge.]
1. The prominent ridge over the eye, with the hair that covers it, forming an arch above the orbit.
"And his arched brow, pulled o’er his eyes,
With solemn proof proclaims him wise." - Churchill.
2. The hair that covers the brow (ridge over the eyes); the eyebrow.
"’T is not your inky brows, your brack silk hair." - Shak.
3. The forehead; as a feverish brow.
"Beads of sweat have stood upon thy brow." - Shak.
4. The general air of the countenance.
"To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow." - Milton.
"He told them with a masterly brow." - Milton.
5. The edge or projecting upper part of a steep place; as the brow of a precipice; the brow of a hill. To bend the brow, To knit the brows, to frown; to scowl.
Browbeat
Brow´beat, v. t. [ imp. Browbeat; p. p. Browbeaten ; p. pr. & vb. n. Browbeating.] To depress or bear down with haughty, stern looks, or with arrogant speech and dogmatic assertions; to abash or disconcert by impudent or abusive words or looks; to bully; as to browbeat witnesses.
"My grandfather was not a man to be browbeaten." - W. Irving.
Browbound
Brow´bound (-bound•), a. Crowned; having the head encircled as with a diadem. Shak.
Browed, a. Having (such) a brow; - - used in composition; as dark- browed, stern- browed.
Brown, a. [ Compar. Browner ; superl. Brownest.] [OE. brun, broun, AS. brn; akin to D. bruin, OHG. brn, Icel. brnn, Sw. brun, Dan. bruun, G. braun, Lith. brunas, Skr. babhru. rad.93, 253. Cf. Bruin, Beaver, Burnish, Brunette.] Of a dark color, of various shades between black and red or yellow.
"Cheeks brown as the oak leaves." - Longfellow.
Brown Bess, the old regulation flintlock smoothbore musket, with bronzed barrel, formerly used in the British army. — Brown bread (a) Dark colored bread; esp. a kind made of unbolted wheat flour, sometimes called in the United States Graham bread. "He would mouth with a beggar though she smelt brown bread and garlic." Shak. (b) Dark colored bread made of rye meal and Indian meal, or of wheat and rye or Indian; rye and Indian bread. [U.S.] — Brown coal, wood coal. See Lignite. — Brown hematite or Brown iron ore (Min.), the hydrous iron oxide, limonite, which has a brown streak. See Limonite. — Brown holland. See under Holland. — Brown paper, dark colored paper, esp. coarse wrapping paper, made of unbleached materials. — Brown spar (Min.), a ferruginous variety of dolomite, in part identical with ankerite. — Brown stone. See Brownstone. — Brown stout, a strong kind of porter or malt liquor. — Brown study, a state of mental abstraction or serious reverie. W. Irving.
Brown, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Browned ; p. pr. & vb. n. Browning.]
1. To make brown or dusky.
"A trembling twilight o’er welkin moves, Browns the dim void and darkens deep the groves." - Barlow.
2. To make brown by scorching slightly; as to brown meat or flour.
3. To give a bright brown color to, as to gun barrels, by forming a thin coat of oxide on their surface. Ure.
Brown bill
Brown" bill . [ Brown + bill cutting tool.] A bill or halberd of the 16th and 17th centuries. See 4th Bill.
"Many time, but for a sallet, my brainpan had been cleft with a brown bill." - Shak.
The black, or as it is sometimes called, the brown bill, was a kind of halberd, the cutting part hooked like a woodman’s bill, from the back of which projected a spike, and another from the head. Grose.
Brown race. The Malay or Polynesian race; — loosely so called.
Brownback
Brown´back, n. (Zoöl.) The dowitcher or red-breasted snipe. See Dowitcher.
Brownism
Brown´ism, n. (Eccl. Hist.) The views or teachings of Robert Brown of the Brownists. Milton.
Brownism
Brown´ism, n. (Med.) The doctrines of the Brunonian system of medicine. See Brunonian.
Brownist
Brown´ist, n. (Med.) One who advocates the Brunonian system of medicine.
Brownstone
Brown´stone, n. A dark variety of sandstone, much used for building purposes.
Browny
Brown´y, a. Brown or, somewhat brown. "Browny locks." Shak.
Browpost
Brow´post, n. (Carp.) A beam that goes across a building.
Browse (brouz), n. [OF. brost, broust, sprout, shoot, F. brout browse, browsewood, prob. fr. OHG. burst, G. borste, bristle; cf. also Armor. brousta to browse. See Bristle, n. , Brush, n. ] The tender branches or twigs of trees and shrubs, fit for the food of cattle and other animals; green food. Spenser.
"Sheep, goats, and oxen, and the nobler steed,
On browse, and corn, and flowery meadows feed." - Dryden.
Browse, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Browsed (brouzd); p. pr. & vb. n. Browsing.] [For broust, OF. brouster, bruster, F. brouter. See Browse, n. , and cf. Brut.]
1. To eat or nibble off, as the tender branches of trees, shrubs, etc.; — said of cattle, sheep, deer, and some other animals.
"Yes, like the stag, when snow the plasture sheets,
The barks of trees thou browsedst." - Shak.
2. To feed on, as pasture; to pasture on; to graze.
"Fields … browsed by deep-uddered kine." - Tennyson.
Browsewood
Browse´wood, n. Shrubs and bushes upon which animals browse.
Browspot
Brow´spot, n. (Zoöl.) A rounded organ between the eyes of the frog; the interocular gland.
Bruang
Bru•ang´, n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) The Malayan sun bear.
Brucine
Bru´cine, n. [Cf. F. brucine, fr. James Bruce, a Scottish traveler.] (Chem.) A powerful vegetable alkaloid, found, associated with strychnine, in the seeds of different species of Strychnos, especially in the Nux vomica . It is less powerful than strychnine. Called also brucia and brucina.
Bruckeled
Bruck´eled, a. Wet and dirty; begrimed. [Obs. or Dial.] Herrick.
Bruh, n. (Zoöl.) [Native name.] The rhesus monkey. See Rhesus.
Bruin
Bru´in, n. [D. bruin brown. In the epic poem of "Reynard the Fox" the bear is so called from his color. See Brown, a. ] A bear; — so called in popular tales and fables.
Bruise (bruz), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bruised (bruzd); p. pr. & vb. n. Bruising.] [OE. brusen, brisen, brosen, bresen, AS. brysan or fr. OF. bruiser, bruisier, bruser, to break, shiver, perh. from OHG. brochison. Cf. Break, v. t.]
1. To injure, as by a blow or collision, without laceration; to contuse; as to bruise one’s finger with a hammer; to bruise the bark of a tree with a stone; to bruise an apple by letting it fall.
2. To break; as in a mortar; to bray, as minerals, roots, etc.; to crush.
"Nor bruise her flowerets with the armed hoofs." - Shak.
Syn. — To pulverize; bray; triturate; pound; contuse.
Bruit, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bruited; p. pr. & vb. n. Bruiting.] To report; to noise abroad.
"I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited." - Shak.
Brumaire
Bru•maire´, n. [F., fr. L. bruma winter.] The second month of the calendar adopted by the first French republic. It began thirty days after the autumnal equinox. See Vendemiaire.
Brun, n. [See Broun a brook.] Same as Brun, a brook. [Scot.]
Brunette
Bru•nette´, n. [F. brunet, brunette, brownish, dim. of brun, brune, brown, fr. OHG. brn. See Brown, a. ] A girl or woman with a somewhat brown or dark complexion. — a. Having a dark tint.
Brunion
Brun´ion, n. [F. brugnon (cf. It. brugna, prugna), fr. L. prunum. See Prune, n. ] A nectarine.
Brunt (brunt), n. [OE. brunt, bront, fr. Icel. bruna to rush; cf. Icel. brenna to burn. Cf. Burn, v. t.]
1. The heat, or utmost violence, of an onset; the strength or greatest fury of any contention; as the brunt of a battle.
2. The force of a blow; shock; collision. "And heavy brunt of cannon ball." Hudibras.
"It is instantly and irrecoverably scattered by our first brunt with some real affair of common life." - I. Taylor.
Brush, n. [OE. brusche, OF. broche, broce, brosse, brushwood, F. brosse brush, LL. brustia, bruscia, fr. OHG. brusta, brust, bristle, G. borste bristle, bürste brush. See Bristle, n. , and cf. Browse.]
1. An instrument composed of bristles, or other like material, set in a suitable back or handle, as of wood, bone, or ivory, and used for various purposes, as in removing dust from clothes, laying on colors, etc. Brushes have different shapes and names according to their use; as clothes brush, paint brush, tooth brush, etc.
2. The bushy tail of a fox.
3. (Zoöl.) A tuft of hair on the mandibles.
4. Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood.
5. A thicket of shrubs or small trees; the shrubs and small trees in a wood; underbrush.
6. (Elec.) A bundle of flexible wires or thin plates of metal, used to conduct an electrical current to or from the commutator of a dynamo, electric motor, or similar apparatus.
7. The act of brushing; as to give one’s clothes a brush; a rubbing or grazing with a quick motion; a light touch; as we got a brush from the wheel as it passed.
"[As leaves] have with one winter’s brush
Fell from their boughts." - Shak.
8. A skirmish; a slight encounter; a shock or collision; as to have a brush with an enemy.
"Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,
And tempt not yet the brushes of the war." - Shak.
9. A short contest, or trial, of speed.
"Let us enjoy a brush across the country." - Cornhill Mag.
Electrical brush, a form of the electric discharge characterized by a brushlike appearance of luminous rays diverging from an electrified body.
Brush, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brushed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brushing.] [OE. bruschen; cf. F. brosser. See Brush, n. ]
1. To apply a brush to, according to its particular use; to rub, smooth, clean, paint, etc., with a brush. "A’ brushes his hat o’ mornings." Shak.
2. To touch in passing, or to pass lightly over, as with a brush.
"Some spread their sailes, some with strong oars sweep
The waters smooth, and brush the buxom wave." - Fairfax.
"Brushed with the kiss of rustling wings." - Milton.
3. To remove or gather by brushing, or by an act like that of brushing, or by passing lightly over, as wind; — commonly with off.
"As wicked dew as e’er my mother brushed
With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen." - Shak.
"And from the boughts brush off the evil dew." - Milton.
To brush aside, to remove from one’s way, as with a brush. — To brush away, to remove, as with a brush or brushing motion. — To brush up, to paint, or make clean or bright with a brush; to cleanse or improve; to renew.
"You have commissioned me to paint your shop, and I have done my best to brush you up like your neighbors." - Pope.
Brussels
Brus´sels, n. A city of Belgium, giving its name to a kind of carpet, a kind of lace, etc. Brussels carpet, a kind of carpet made of worsted yarn fixed in a foundation web of strong linen thread. The worsted, which alone shows on the upper surface in drawn up in loops to form the pattern. — Brussels ground, a name given to the handmade ground of real Brussels lace. It is very costly because of the extreme fineness of the threads. — Brussels lace, an expensive kind of lace of several varieties, originally made in Brussels; as Brussels point, Brussels ground, Brussels wire ground. — Brussels net, an imitation of Brussels ground, made by machinery. — Brussels point. See Point lace. — Brussels sprouts (Bot.), a plant of the Cabbage family, which produces, in the axils of the upright stem, numerous small green heads, or "sprouts," each a cabbage in miniature, of one or two inches in diameter; the thousand-headed cabbage. — Brussels wire ground, a ground for lace, made of silk, with meshes partly straight and partly arched.
Brustle
Brus´tle, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Brustled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brustling .] [OE. brustlien and brastlien, AS. brastlian, fr. berstan to burst, akin to G. prasseln to crackle. See Burst, v. i.]
1. To crackle; to rustle, as a silk garment. [Obs.] Gower.
2. To make a show of fierceness or defiance; to bristle. [Obs.] To brustle up, to bristle up. [Obs.] Otway.
Brut, v. i. [F. brouter, OF. brouster. See Browse, n. ] To browse. [Obs.] Evelyn.
Bruta
Bru´ta, n. [NL., neuter pl., fr. L. brutus heavy, stupid.] (Zoöl.) See Edentata.
Brutal
Bru´tal, a. [Cf. F. brutal. See Brute, a. ]
1. Of or pertaining to a brute; as brutal nature. "Above the rest of brutal kind." Milton.
2. Like a brute; savage; cruel; inhuman; brutish; unfeeling; merciless; gross; as brutal manners. "Brutal intemperance." Macaulay.
Brutalization
Bru•tal•i•za´tion, n. The act or process of making brutal; state of being brutalized.
Brutalize
Bru´tal•ize, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brutalized ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brutalizing.] [Cf. F. brutaliser.] To make brutal; beasty; unfeeling; or inhuman.
Brute, n.
1. An animal destitute of human reason; any animal not human; esp. a quadruped; a beast.
"Brutes may be considered as either aëral, terrestrial, aquatic, or amphibious." - Locke.
2. A brutal person; a savage in heart or manners; as unfeeling or coarse person.
"An ill-natured brute of a husband." - Franklin.
Syn. — See Beast.
Brutify
Bru´ti•fy, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brutified ; p. pr. & vb. n. Brutifying.] [ Brute + -fy: cf. F. brutifier.] To make like a brute; to make senseless, stupid, or unfeeling; to brutalize.
"Any man not quite brutified and void of sense." - Barrow.
Bryological
Bry•o•log´i•cal, a. Relating to bryology; as bryological studies.
Bryology
Bry•ol´o•gy, n. [Gr. moss + - logy.] That part of botany which relates to mosses.
Bryozoa
Bry•o•zo´a, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. moss + animal.] (Zoöl.) A class of Molluscoidea, including minute animals which by budding form compound colonies; — called also Polyzoa. They are often coralike in form and appearance, each small cell containing an individual zooid. Other species grow in delicate, flexible, branched forms, resembling moss, whence the name. Some are found in fresh water, but most are marine. The three principal divisions are Ectoprocta, Entoprocta, and Pterobranchia. See Cyclostoma, Chilostoma, and Phylactolema.
Bryozoan
Bry•o•zo´an, a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Bryozoa. — n. One of the Bryozoa.
Bryozoum
Bry•o•zo´um, n. [NL. See Bryozoa.] (Zoöl.) An individual zooid of a bryozoan coralline, of which there may be two or more kinds in a single colony. The zoœcia usually have a wreath of tentacles around the mouth, and a well developed stomach and intestinal canal; but these parts are lacking in the other zooids ( Avicularia, Oœcia, etc.).