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. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. The ocean; the water of an ocean, sea, or salt lake. [ 1913 Webster ] Not long beneath the whelming brine . . . he lay. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Tears; -- so called from their saltness. [ 1913 Webster ] What a deal of brine Hath washed thy sallow cheecks for Rosaline! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Brine fly (Zool.), a fly of the genus Ephydra, the larvæ 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 (Zool.), 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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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