Chapter 115

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.

Bread"bas`ket (&?;), n. The stomach. [Humorous] S. Foote.

Bread"corn` (&?;). Corn of grain of which bread is made, as wheat, rye, etc.

Bread"ed, a. Braided [Obs.] Spenser.

Bread"en (&?;), a. Made of bread. [R.]

Bread"fruit` (&?;), n. (Bot.) 1. The fruit of a tree (Artocarpus incisa) found in the islands of the Pacific, esp. the South Sea islands. It is of a roundish form, from four to six or seven inches in diameter, and, when baked, somewhat resembles bread, and is eaten as food, whence the name.

2. (Bot.) The tree itself, which is one of considerable size, with large, lobed leaves. Cloth is made from the bark, and the timber is used for many purposes. Called also breadfruit tree and bread tree.

Bread"less, a. Without bread; destitute of food.

Plump peers and breadless bards alike are dull. P. Whitehead.

Bread`root" (&?;), n. (Bot.) The root of a leguminous plant (Psoralea esculenta), found near the Rocky Mountains. It is usually oval in form, and abounds in farinaceous matter, affording sweet and palatable food.

It is the Pomme blanche of Canadian voyageurs.

Bread"stuff (&?;), n. Grain, flour, or meal of which bread is made.

Breadth (brdth), n. [OE. brede, breede, whence later bredette, AS. brdu, fr. brd 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.

Breadth"less, a. Without breadth.

Breadth"ways (-wz), ads. Breadthwise. Whewell.

Breadth"wise (-wz), ads. In the direction of the breadth.

Bread"win`ner (brd"wn`nr), n. The member of a family whose labor supplies the food of the family; one who works for his living. H. Spencer.

Break (brk), v. t. [imp. broke (brk), (Obs. Brake); p. p. Broken (br"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. brække 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 (brk), v. i. 1. To come apart or divide into two or more pieces, usually with suddenness and violence; to part; to burst asunder.

2. To open spontaneously, or by pressure from within, as a bubble, a tumor, a seed vessel, a bag.

Else the bottle break, and the wine runneth out. Math. ix. 17.

3. To burst forth; to make its way; to come to view; to appear; to dawn.

The day begins to break, and night is fled. Shak.

And from the turf a fountain broke, and gurgled at our feet. Wordsworth.

4. To burst forth violently, as a storm.

The clouds are still above; and, while I speak, A second deluge o'er our head may break. Dryden.

5. To open up; to be scattered; to be dissipated; as, the clouds are breaking.

At length the darkness begins to break. Macaulay.

6. To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength.

See how the dean begins to break; Poor gentleman! he droops apace. Swift.

7. To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief; as, my heart is breaking.

8. To fall in business; to become bankrupt.

He that puts all upon adventures doth oftentimes break, and come to poverty. Bacn.

9. To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change the gait; as, to break into a run or gallop.

10. To fail in musical quality; as, a singer's voice breaks when it is strained beyond its compass and a tone or note is not completed, but degenerates into an unmusical sound instead. Also, to change in tone, as a boy's voice at puberty.

11. To fall out; to terminate friendship.

To break upon the score of danger or expense is to be mean and narrow-spirited. Collier.

With prepositions or adverbs: -

To break away, to disengage one's self abruptly; to come or go away against resistance.

Fear me not, man; I will not break away. Shak.

To break down. (a) To come down by breaking; as, the coach broke down. (b) To fail in any undertaking.

He had broken down almost at the outset. Thackeray.

-- To break forth, to issue; to come out suddenly, as sound, light, etc. "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning." Isa. lviii. 8;

often with into in expressing or giving vent to one's feelings. "Break forth into singing, ye mountains." Isa. xliv. 23.

To break from, to go away from abruptly.

This radiant from the circling crowd he broke. Dryden.

-- To break into, to enter by breaking; as, to break into a house. -- To break in upon, to enter or approach violently or unexpectedly. "This, this is he; softly awhile; let us not break in upon him." Milton. -- To break loose. (a) To extricate one's self forcibly. "Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell?" Milton. (b) To cast off restraint, as of morals or propriety. -- To break off. (a) To become separated by rupture, or with suddenness and violence. (b) To desist or cease suddenly. "Nay, forward, old man; do not break off so." Shak. -- To break off from, to desist from; to abandon, as a habit. -- To break out. (a) To burst forth; to escape from restraint; to appear suddenly, as a fire or an epidemic. "For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and stream in the desert." Isa. xxxv. 6 (b) To show itself in cutaneous eruptions; -- said of a disease. (c) To have a rash or eruption on the akin; -- said of a patient. -- To break over, to overflow; to go beyond limits. -- To break up. (a) To become separated into parts or fragments; as, the ice break up in the rivers; the wreck will break up in the next storm. (b) To disperse. "The company breaks up." I. Watts. -- To break upon, to discover itself suddenly to; to dawn upon. -- To break with. (a) To fall out; to sever one's relations with; to part friendship. "It can not be the Volsces dare break with us." Shak. "If she did not intend to marry Clive, she should have broken with him altogether." Thackeray. (b) To come to an explanation; to enter into conference; to speak. [Obs.] "I will break with her and with her father." Shak.

<! p. 178 !>

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"a*ble (&?;), a. Capable of being broken.

Break"age (&?;), n. 1. The act of breaking; a break; a breaking; also, articles broken.

2. An allowance or compensation for things broken accidentally, as in transportation or use.

Break"bone` fe`ver (&?;). (Med.) See Dengue.

Break"-cir`cuit (&?;), n. (Elec.) A key or other device for breaking an electrical circuit.

Break"down` (&?;), n. 1. The act or result of breaking down, as of a carriage; downfall.

2. (a) A noisy, rapid, shuffling dance engaged in competitively by a number of persons or pairs in succession, as among the colored people of the Southern United States, and so called, perhaps, because the exercise is continued until most of those who take part in it break down. (b) Any rude, noisy dance performed by shuffling the feet, usually by one person at a time. [U.S.]

Don't clear out when the quadrilles are over, for we are going to have a breakdown to wind up with. New Eng. Tales.

Break"er (&?;), n. 1. One who, or that which, breaks.

I'll be no breaker of the law. Shak.

2. Specifically: A machine for breaking rocks, or for breaking coal at the mines; also, the building in which such a machine is placed.

3. (Naut.) A small water cask. Totten.

4. A wave breaking into foam against the shore, or against a sand bank, or a rock or reef near the surface.

The breakers were right beneath her bows. Longfellow.

Break"fast (&?;), n. [Break + fast.] 1. The first meal in the day, or that which is eaten at the first meal.

A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. Shak.

2. A meal after fasting, or food in general.

The wolves will get a breakfast by my death. Dryden.

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.

Break"fast, v. t. To furnish with breakfast. Milton.

Break"man (&?;), n. See Brakeman.

Break"neck` (&?;), n. 1. A fall that breaks the neck.

2. A steep place endangering the neck.

Break"neck` (&?;), a. Producing danger of a broken neck; as, breakneck speed.

Break"-up` (&?;), n. Disruption; a separation and dispersion of the parts or members; as, a break-up of an assembly or dinner party; a break-up of the government.

Break"wa`ter (&?;), n. Any structure or contrivance, as a mole, or a wall at the mouth of a harbor, to break the force of waves, and afford protection from their violence.

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 (brst), n. [OE. brest, breost, As. breóst; akin to Icel. brjst, 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.

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

Breast"beam` (brst"bm`), n. (Mach.) The front transverse beam of a locomotive.

Breast"bone` (brst"bn`), n. The bone of the breast; the sternum.

Breast"-deep` (brst"dp`), a. Deep as from the breast to the feet; as high as the breast.

Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him. Shak.

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

The close minister is buttoned up, and the brave officer open-breasted, on these occasions. Spectator.

Breast"fast` (&?;), n. (Naut.) A large rope to fasten the midship part of a ship to a wharf, or to another vessel.

Breast"height` (&?;), n. The interior slope of a fortification, against which the garrison lean in firing.

Breast"-high` (&?;), a. High as the breast.

Breast"hook` (&?;), n. (Naut.) A thick piece of timber in the form of a knee, placed across the stem of a ship to strengthen the fore part and unite the bows on each side. Totten.

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.

Breast"knot` (brst"nt), n. A knot of ribbons worn on the breast. Addison.

Breast"pin` (brst"pn`), n. A pin worn on the breast for a fastening, or for ornament; a brooch.

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.

Breast"rail` (-rl`), n. The upper rail of any parapet of ordinary height, as of a balcony; the railing of a quarter-deck, etc.

Breast"rope` (brst"rp`), n. See Breastband.

Breast"sum`mer (&?;), n. (Arch.) A summer or girder extending across a building flush with, and supporting, the upper part of a front or external wall; a long lintel; a girder; -- used principally above shop windows. [Written also brestsummer and bressummer.]

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

Breast"work` (brst"wûrk`), n. 1. (Fort.) A defensive work of moderate height, hastily thrown up, of earth or other material.

2. (Naut.) A railing on the quarter-deck and forecastle.

Breath (brth), n. [OE. breth, breeth, AS. brð odor, scent, breath; cf. OHG. brdam 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.

Breath"a*ble (br"*b'l), a. Such as can be breathed.

Breath"a*ble*ness, n. State of being breathable.

Breathe (br), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Breathed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Breathing.] [From Breath.]