n. [ Pref. ab- + reaction, after G. Abreagirung. ] (Psychotherapy) the purging of emotional tensions. See Catharsis, below.
Syn. -- catharsis, katharsis [ Webster 1913 Suppl. WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + breast. ] 1. Side by side, with breasts in a line; as, “Two men could hardly walk abreast.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) Side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam; -- with of. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Up to a certain level or line; equally advanced; as, to keep abreast of [ or with ] the present state of science. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. At the same time; simultaneously. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Abreast therewith began a convocation. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A salt formed by the combination of ambreic acid with a base or positive radical. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. wearing no covering for the breasts or featuring such nudity. bare-breasted beauties parading along the beach"
Syn. -- braless, topless. [WordNet 1.5]

{ } n. An ancient rural game, commonly played round stacks of barley, or other grain, in which some of the party attempt to catch others who run from a goal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A brown, bitter substance found in some of the cells of honeycomb. It is made chiefly from the pollen of flowers, which is collected by bees as food for their young. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A small European bird; the blue-throated warbler. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. breke, breche, AS. brice, gebrice, gebrece (in comp.), fr. brecan to break; akin to Dan. bræk, MHG. breche, gap, breach. See Break, and cf. Brake (the instrument), Brack a break ] . 1. The act of breaking, in a figurative sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A breaking of waters, as over a vessel; the waters themselves; surge; surf. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. 2 Sam. v. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A breaking up of amicable relations; rupture. [ 1913 Webster ]

There's fallen between him and my lord
An unkind breach. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A bruise; a wound. [ 1913 Webster ]

Breach for breach, eye for eye. Lev. xxiv. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Med.) A hernia; a rupture. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A breaking out upon; an assault. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord had made a breach upon Uzza. 1. Chron. xiii. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

-
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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Rent; cleft; chasm; rift; aperture; gap; break; disruption; fracture; rupture; infraction; infringement; violation; quarrel; dispute; contention; difference; misunderstanding. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To break the water, as by leaping out; -- said of a whale. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Apt to break fences or to break out of pasture; unruly; as, breachy cattle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ AS. brædan to make broad, to spread. See Broad, a. ] To spread. [ Obs. ] Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. breád; akin to OFries. brād, OS. brōd, D. brood, G. brod, brot, Icel. brauð, Sw. & Dan. bröd. The root is probably that of E. brew. √93. See Brew. ] 1. An article of food made from flour or meal by moistening, kneading, and baking. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞
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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Food; sustenance; support of life, in general. [ 1913 Webster ]

Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11 [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Cookery) To cover with bread crumbs, preparatory to cooking; as, breaded cutlets. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The stomach. [ Humorous ] S. Foote. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a container used to store breads or cake, to keep them fresh.
Syn. -- breadbox. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a container used to store breads or cake, to keep them fresh.
Syn. -- bread-bin. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Corn of grain of which bread is made, as wheat, rye, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Braided [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Made of bread. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without bread; destitute of food. [ 1913 Webster ]

Plump peers and breadless bards alike are dull. P. Whitehead. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a queue of people waiting for free food.
Syn. -- bread line. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It is the Pomme blanche of Canadian voyageurs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Grain, flour, or meal of which bread is made. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. brede, breede, whence later bredette, AS. br&aemacr_;du, fr. brād broad. See Broad, a. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Distance from side to side of any surface or thing; measure across, or at right angles to the length; width. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without breadth. [ 1913 Webster ]

ads. Breadthwise. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

ads. In the direction of the breadth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The member of a family whose labor supplies the food of the family; one who works for his living. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. broke (Obs. Brake); p. p. Broken (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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as, to break a package of goods. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Katharine, break thy mind to me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise. [ 1913 Webster ]

Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . .
To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray. Milton [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Go, release them, Ariel;
My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To destroy the completeness of; to remove a part from; as, to break a set. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce; as, the cavalry were not able to break the British squares. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments. [ 1913 Webster ]

The victim broke in pieces the musical instruments with which he had solaced the hours of captivity. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. To exchange for other money or currency of smaller denomination; as, to break a five dollar bill. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of; as, to break flax. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. To weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

An old man, broken with the storms of state. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. To diminish the force of; to lessen the shock of, as a fall or blow. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll rather leap down first, and break your fall. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

15. To destroy the financial credit of; to make bankrupt; to ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

With arts like these rich Matho, when he speaks,
Attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

16. To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss. [ 1913 Webster ]

I see a great officer broken. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

With prepositions or adverbs: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

With an immediate object: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

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 a code to discover a method to convert coded messages into the original understandable text. --
To break cover, to burst forth from a protecting concealment, as game when hunted. --
To break a deer or
To break a 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To dispart; rend; tear; shatter; batter; violate; infringe; demolish; destroy; burst; dislocate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To come apart or divide into two or more pieces, usually with suddenness and violence; to part; to burst asunder. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To open spontaneously, or by pressure from within, as a bubble, a tumor, a seed vessel, a bag. [ 1913 Webster ]

Else the bottle break, and the wine runneth out. Math. ix. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To burst forth; to make its way; to come to view; to appear; to dawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

The day begins to break, and night is fled. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And from the turf a fountain broke,
and gurgled at our feet. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To burst forth violently, as a storm. [ 1913 Webster ]

The clouds are still above; and, while I speak,
A second deluge o'er our head may break. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To open up; to be scattered; to be dissipated; as, the clouds are breaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

At length the darkness begins to break. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength. [ 1913 Webster ]

See how the dean begins to break;
Poor gentleman! he droops apace. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief; as, my heart is breaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. To fall in business; to become bankrupt. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that puts all upon adventures doth oftentimes break, and come to poverty. Bacn. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change the gait; as, to break into a run or gallop. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. To fall out; to terminate friendship. [ 1913 Webster ]

To break upon the score of danger or expense is to be mean and narrow-spirited. Collier. [ 1913 Webster ]

With prepositions or adverbs: - [ 1913 Webster ]

To break away, to disengage one's self abruptly; to come or go away against resistance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fear me not, man; I will not break away. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To break down. (a) To come down by breaking; as, the coach broke down. (b) To fail in any undertaking; to halt before successful completion; as, the negotiations broke down due to irreconcilable demands. (c) To cease functioning or to malfunction; as, the car broke down in the middle of the highway. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ] He had broken down almost at the outset. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ] --
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; [ 1913 Webster ] often with into in expressing or giving vent to one's feelings. “Break forth into singing, ye mountains.” Isa. xliv. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]
To break from, to go away from abruptly. [ 1913 Webster ] This radiant from the circling crowd he broke. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] --
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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Break, v. t., and cf. Brake (the instrument), Breach, Brack a crack. ] 1. An opening made by fracture or disruption. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An interruption; a pause; as, a break in friendship; a break in the conversation. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An interruption in continuity in writing or printing, as where there is an omission, an unfilled line, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

All modern trash is
Set forth with numerous breaks and dashes. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The first appearing, as of light in the morning; the dawn; as, the break of day; the break of dawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A device for checking motion, or for measuring friction. See Brake, n. 9 & 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Teleg.) See Commutator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the quality of being easily damaged or destroyed.
Syn. -- fragility. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Capable of being broken. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of breaking; a break; a breaking; also, articles broken. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An allowance or compensation for things broken accidentally, as in transportation or use. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Break + away ] [ Australasia ] 1. A wild rush of sheep, cattle, horses, or camels (especially at the smell or the sight of water); a stampede. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. An animal that breaks away from a herd. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. an object designed to break off or shatter under impact, as a safety measure. [ PJC ]

4. (Sport) the sudden emergence of one or more players or contestants from a clustered group, rushing toward a goal, as bicyclists in a race, or baketball players after a rebound has been caught. [ PJC ]

n. a West Indian timber tree (Sloanea jamaicensis) having very hard wood.
Syn. -- breakax. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Med.) See Dengue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Elec.) A key or other device for breaking an electrical circuit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a type of solo dancing in which the dancer performs elaborate footwork, pantomime, and various acrobatic movements, such as spinning head stands or spinning on the back, and usually containing much improvization. It was first performed by male teenagers in the 1970's, in small informal groups on the streets, and is often performed to the accompaniment of rap music or other rock music with a rapid, strong beat. -- break" dance`, n. -- break" dan`cer, n. [ PJC ]

n. 1. The act or result of breaking down, as of a carriage; downfall. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Don't clear out when the quadrilles are over, for we are going to have a breakdown to wind up with. New Eng. Tales. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, breaks. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll be no breaker of the law. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: A machine for breaking rocks, or for breaking coal at the mines; also, the building in which such a machine is placed. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) A small water cask. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A wave breaking into foam against the shore, or against a sand bank, or a rock or reef near the surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

The breakers were right beneath her bows. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. a quarry worker who splits off blocks of stone.
Syn. -- ledgeman. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Break + fast. ] 1. The first meal in the day, or that which is eaten at the first meal. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sorry breakfast for my lord protector. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A meal after fasting, or food in general. [ 1913 Webster ]

The wolves will get a breakfast by my death. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

First, sir, I read, and then I breakfast. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To furnish with breakfast. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an act of trespassing into a closed structure such as a house or place of busineess for an unlawful purpose, usually as part of a burglary.
Syn. -- housebreaking, breaking and entering. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adj. 1. p. pr. & vb. n. of break, v. i. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Journalism) Still happening or becoming known at the present time; -- used of news reports; as, breaking news; a breaking story. [ PJC ]

n. The act of breaking something.
Syn. -- breakage, break. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. See Brakeman. [ 1913 Webster ]