English English Dictionary

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.

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.

The face of a coal working.

The front of a furnace.

The seat of consciousness; the repository of thought and self-consciousness, or of secrets; the seat of the affections and passions; the heart.

The power of singing; a musical voice; -- so called, probably, from the connection of the voice with the lungs, which lie within the breast.

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

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

High as the breast.

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

The front transverse beam of a locomotive.

The bone of the breast; the sternum.

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

of Breast

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

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

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

of Breast

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

A knot of ribbons worn on the breast.