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To strike, as the breech, with the open hand; to slap.

A covering for the leg, or leg and foot; as, upper stocks (breeches); nether stocks (stockings). [Obs.] With a linen stock on one leg. Shak.

The projecting part of the breech of a musket barrel, by which the barrel is secured to the stock.

, a plane which touches a surface in a point or line. -- Tangent scale (Gun.), a kind of breech sight for a cannon. -- Tangent screw (Mach.), an endless screw; a worm.

To carry, as a firearm, with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.

a marine engine, the piston rod of which is a trunk. See Trunk, 10. -- Trunk hose, large breeches formerly worn, reaching to the knees. -- Trunk line, the main line of a railway, canal, or route of conveyance. -- Trunk turtle (Zoöl.), the leatherback.

twist of which the pitch is less, and the inclination greater, at the muzzle than at the breech. -- Twist drill, a drill the body of which is twisted like that of an auger. See Illust. of Drill. -- Uniform twist (Firearms), a twist of which the spiral course has an equal pitch throughout.

mpressed sign; emblem. The faith they have in tennis, and tall stockings, Short blistered breeches, and those types of travel. Shak.

The breeches; trousers. [Jocose]

aised surface around a vent. -- Vent piece. (Gun.) (a) A bush. See 4th Bush, n, 2. (b) A breech block.

The band which encompasses the waist; esp., one on the upper part of breeches, trousers, pantaloons, skirts, or the like.

d) To waste the strength of; as, an old man worn out in military service. -- To wear the breeches. See under Breeches. [Colloq.]