English Explanatory Dictionary

breech

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A garment whose purpose is to cover or clothe the buttocks.
  2. The buttocks or backside.
  3. The part of a cannon or other firearm behind the chamber.
  4. The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat.
  5. A breech birth.
adv
  1. With the hips coming out before the head.
adj
  1. Born, or having been born, breech.
verb
  1. To dress in breeches. (especially) To dress a boy in breeches or trousers for the first time (the breeching ceremony).
  2. To beat or spank on the buttocks.
  3. To fit or furnish with a breech.
  4. To fasten with breeching.
  5. To cover as if with breeches.

Pronunciation

/ˈbɹiːt͡ʃ/ [ˈbɹʷɪi̯t͡ʃ] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-breech.wav

Word forms

breech breeches breeching breeched

Etymology

From Middle English breche, from Old English brēċ, from Proto-Germanic *brōkiz pl, from Proto-Germanic *brōks (“clothing for loins and thighs”). Cognate with Dutch broek, Alemannic German Bruech, Swedish brok. Doublet of vraka.

Related words

breeches

Derived words

bear's breech bear's-breech be-breeched breechblock breech-cloth breechcloth breechclout breech delivery breech face breechless breechloader breech-loader breech-loading breechloading breech pin breech screw nonbreech quack-breech quake-breech quakebreech rod for one's breech unbreech wipe-breech breech birth rod for one's own breech
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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