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A muscle; flesh. [Obs.] Formed well of brawns and of bones. Chaucer.

An impudent of shameless person. "Well said, brazenface; hold it out." Shak.

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

usually by one person at a time. [U.S.] Don't clear out when the quadrilles are over, for we are going to have a breakdown to wind up with. New Eng. Tales.

ainst the shore, or against a sand bank, or a rock or reef near the surface. The breakers were right beneath her bows. Longfellow.

The fore part of the body, between the neck and the belly; the chest; as, the breast of a man or of a horse.

of the ephod. It was a double piece of richly embroidered stuff, a span square, set with twelve precious stones, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. See Ephod.

it by the breasting. The water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight.

To take breath; to rest from action. Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! Shak.

rest; attended with a holding of the breath; as, breathless attention. But breathless, as we grow when feeling most. Byron.

in of man's bred out into baboon and monkey." Shak. -- Bred to arms. See under Arms. -- Well bred. (a) Of a good family; having a good pedigree. "A gentleman well bred and of good name." Shak. [Obs., except as applied to domestic animals.] (b) Well brought up, as shown in having good manners; cultivated; refined; pol…

The lower part of the body behind; the buttocks.

by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes. His jacket was red, and his breeches were blue. Coleridge.

the act of whipping on the breech. I view the prince with Aristarchus' eyes, Whose looks were as a breeching to a boy. Marlowe.

which civility obliges us either to express or counterfeit towards the persons with whom we converse. Hume.

. Brehon laws, the ancient Irish laws, -- unwritten, like the common law of England. They were abolished by statute of Edward III.

Famous; renowned; well known. Wright. [Written also brim and brimme.]

A tribute which tenants paid to their lord, in lieu of bran, which they were obliged to furnish for his hounds.

wing; to contrive; to plot; to concoct; to hatch; as, to brew mischief. Hence with thy brewed enchantments, foul deceiver! Milton.

Malt liquor; drink brewed. "Some well-spiced brewage." Milton. A rich brewage, made of the best Spanish wine. Macaulay.