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base, as in surveying or in military operations. (b) A line traced round a cannon at the rear of the vent. -- Base plate, the foundation plate of heavy machinery, as of the steam engine; the bed plate. -- Base ring (Ordnance), a projecting band of metal around the breech, connected with the body of the gun by a conc…

The secondary, inferior, or rear courtyard of a large house; the outer court of a castle.

The main body, as distinct from the van and rear; battalia. [Obs.] Hayward.

A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression to draw a bead, for, to take aim).

On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; -- opposed to in the rear. The battle was before and behind. 2 Chron. xiii. 14.

At the back part; in the rear. "I shall not lag behind." Milton.

In arrears financially; in a state where expenditures have exceeded the receipt of funds.

To place on a bench or seat of honor. Whom I . . . have benched and reared to worship. Shak.

One who takes pleasure in rearing or collecting rare or curious birds.

To be resplendent. Macaulay. To blaze away, to discharge a firearm, or to continue firing; -- said esp. of a number of persons, as a line of soldiers. Also used (fig.) of speech or action. [Colloq.]

Desolate and exposed; swept by cold winds. Wastes too bleak to rear The common growth of earth, the foodful ear. Wordsworth. At daybreak, on the bleak sea beach. Longfellow.

A short gun or firearm, with a large bore, capable of holding a number of balls, and intended to do execution without exact aim.

Steep; abrupt; prominent. Where the bold cape its warning forehead rears. Trumbull.

rade direction, so as to fall near the place from which it was thrown, or even far in the rear of it.

The internal cylindrical cavity of a gun, cannon, pistol, or other firearm, or of a pipe or tube. The bores of wind instruments. Bacon. Love's counselor should fill the bores of hearing. Shak.

The hinder part of anything; esp., the part of a cannon, or other firearm, behind the chamber.

A strong iron or steel plug screwed into the breech of a musket or other firearm, to close the bottom of the bore.

A device attached to the breech of a firearm, to guide the eye, in conjunction with the front sight, in taking aim.

The movable piece which closes the breech of a breech-loading firearm, and resists the backward force of the discharge. It is withdrawn for the insertion of a cartridge, and closed again before the gun is fired.

A firearm which receives its load at the breech. For cavalry, the revolver and breechloader will supersede the saber. Rep. Sec. War (1860).