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F. enfants perdus, in G. verloren posten) selected, usually from volunteers, to attempt a breach, scale the wall of a fortress, or perform other extraordinarily perilous service; also, a desperate case or enterprise.

The act of breaking or snapping asunder; rupture; breach.

g; as, a gap in a fence; an opening for a passage or entrance; an opening which implies a breach or defect; a vacant space or time; a hiatus; a mountain pass. Miseries ensued by the opening of that gap. Knolles. It would make a great gap in your own honor. Shak. Gap lathe (Mach.), a turning lathe with a deep notch in t…

from the hand into the head of a sap, trenches, covered way, or upon besiegers mounting a breach. (b) A portable fire extinguisher consisting of a glass bottle containing water and gas. It is thrown into the flames. Called also fire grenade. Rampart grenades, grenades of various sizes, which, when used, are rolled over…

To reconcile, as a breach or difference; to make whole; to free from guilt; as, to heal dissensions.

A beam with projecting spikes, used to make a breach impassable.

or the Son, even as they honor the Father. John v. 23. It is a custom More honor'd in the breach than the observance. Shak.

ull of danger; threatening; menacing; perilous. Hairbreadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach. Shak.

Breach of trust; unfaithfulness to a charge, or to moral obligation; treachery; deceit; as, the infidelity of a servant. "The infidelity of friends." Sir W. Temple.

The act of infracting or breaking; breach; violation; nonobservance; infringement; as, an infraction of a treaty, compact, rule, or law. I. Watts.

The act of infringing; breach; violation; nonfulfillment; as, the infringement of a treaty, compact, law, or constitution. The punishing of this infringement is proper to that jurisdiction against which the contempt is. Clarendon.

The state of being interrupted; a breach or break, caused by the abrupt intervention of something foreign; intervention; interposition. Sir M. Hale. Lest the interruption of time cause you to lose the idea of one part. Dryden.

paired, recovered, regained, or remedied; irretrievable; irremediable; as, an irreparable breach; an irreparable loss. Shak.

A breach or wound made by lacerating. Arbuthnot.

ber; a multitude. Where one sin has entered,legions will force their way through the same breach. Rogers.

ll; being on, or in, a wall; growing on, or against, a wall; as, a mural quadrant. "Mural breach." Milton. "Mural fruit." Evelyn.

e Sabbath is general; the strict observance of duties. It is a custom More honored in the breach than the observance. Shak.

To unclose; to form a hole, breach, or gap; to be unclosed; to be parted. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. Ps. cvi. 17.

A place which is open; a breach; an aperture; a gap; cleft, or hole. We saw him at the opening of his tent. Shak.

air or strengthen it, esp. upon an old garment to cover a hole. Patches set upon a little breach. Shak.