Chapter LV: Appendix: Vermiformis (34)

9. Fragrance; exhalation; odor; perfume. Tennison. The breath of flowers. Bacon.

10. Gentle exercise, causing a quicker respiration. An after dinner's breath. Shak. Out of breath, breathless, exhausted; breathing with difficulty. -- Under one's breath, in low tones.

BREATHABLE Breath"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be breathed.

BREATHABLENESS Breath"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: State of being breathable.

BREATHE Breathe, v. i. [imp. & p. p Breathed; p. pr. & vb. n. Breathing.] Etym: [From Breath.]

1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. "I am in health, I breathe." Shak. Breathes there a man with soul so dead Sir W. Scott.

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

3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently. The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. Shak. There breathes a living fragrance from the shore. Byron.

BREATHE Breathe, v. t.

1. To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire. To view the light of heaven, and breathe the vital air. Dryden.

2. To inject by breathing; to infuse; -- with into. Able to breathe life into a stone. Shak. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Gen. ii. 7.

3. To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow. He softly breathed thy name. Dryden. Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse, A mother's curse, on her revolting son. Shak.

4. To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes.

5. To express; to manifest; to give forth. Others articles breathe the same severe spirit. Milner.

6. To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. "They breathe the flute." Prior.

7. To promote free respiration in; to exercise. And every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee. Shak.

8. To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse. A moment breathed his panting steed. Sir W. Scott.

9. To put out of breath; to exhaust. Mr. Tulkinghorn arrives in his turret room, a little breathed by the journey up. Dickens.

10. (Phonetics)

Defn: To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants. The same sound may be pronounces either breathed, voiced, or whispered. H. Sweet. Breathed elements, being already voiceless, remain unchanged

Note: [in whispering]. H. Sweet. To breathe again, to take breath; to feel a sense of relief, as from danger, responsibility, or press of business. -- To breathe one's last, to die; to expire. -- To breathe a vein, to open a vein; to let blood. Dryden.

BREATHER Breath"er, n.

1. One who breathes. Hence: (a) One who lives.(b) One who utters. (c) One who animates or inspires.

2. That which puts one out of breath, as violent exercise. [Colloq.]

BREATHFUL Breath"ful, a.

Defn: Full of breath; full of odor; fragrant. [Obs.]

BREATHING Breath"ing, n.

1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air. Subject to a difficulty of breathing. Melmoth.

2. Air in gentle motion.

3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit.

4. Aspiration; secret prayer. "Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state." Tillotson.

5. Exercising; promotion of respiration. Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip. Shak.

6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. Shak.

7. Breathing place; vent. Dryden.

8. Stop; pause; delay. You shake the head at so long a breathing. Shak.

9. Also, in a wider sense, the sound caused by the friction of the outgoing breath in the throat, mouth, etc., when the glottis is wide open; aspiration; the sound expressed by the letter h.

10. (Gr. Gram.)

Defn: A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below. Breathing place. (a) A pause. "That cæsura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse." Sir P. Sidney. (b) A vent. -- Breathing time, pause; relaxation. Bp. Hall. -- Breathing while, time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time. Shak. -- Rough breathing (spiritus asper) (. See 2d Asper, n. -- Smooth breathing (spiritus lenis), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie`nai (ienai).

BREATHLESS Breath"less, a.

1. Spent with labor or violent action; out of breath.

2. Not breathing; holding the breath, on account of fear, expectation, or intense interest; attended with a holding of the breath; as, breathless attention. But breathless, as we grow when feeling most. Byron.

3. Dead; as, a breathless body.

BREATHLESSLY Breath"less*ly, adv.

Defn: In a breathless manner.

BREATHLESSNESS Breath"less*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being breathless or out of breath.

BRECCIA Brec"cia, n. Etym: [It., breach, pebble, fragments of stone, fr. F. brèche; of German origin. See Breach.] (Geol.)

Defn: A rock composed of angular fragments either of the same mineral or of different minerals, etc., united by a cement, and commonly presenting a variety of colors. Bone breccia, a breccia containing bones, usually fragmentary. -- Coin breccia, a breccia containing coins.

BRECCIATED Brec"ci*a`ted, a.

Defn: Consisting of angular fragments cemented together; resembling breccia in appearance. The brecciated appearance of many specimens [of meteorites]. H. A. Newton.

BRED Bred,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Breed. Bred out, degenerated. "The strain 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; polite.

BREDE; BREEDE Brede, or Breede, n.

Defn: Breadth. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BREDE Brede, n. Etym: [See Braid woven cord.]

Defn: A braid. [R.] Half lapped in glowing gauze and golden brede. Tennyson.

BREECH Breech, n. Etym: [See Breeches.]

1. The lower part of the body behind; the buttocks.

2. Breeches. [Obs.] Shak.

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

4. (Naut.)

Defn: The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat.

BREECH Breech, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Breeched; p. pr. & vb. n. Breeching.]

1. To put into, or clothe with, breeches. A great man . . . anxious to know whether the blacksmith's youngest boy was breeched. Macaulay.

2. To cover as with breeches. [Poetic] Their daggers unmannerly breeched with gore. Shak.

3. To fit or furnish with a breech; as, to breech a gun.

4. To whip on the breech. [Obs.] Had not a courteous serving man conveyed me away, whilst he went to fetch whips, I think, in my conscience, he would have breeched me. Old Play.

5. To fasten with breeching.

BREECH ACTION Breech action.

Defn: The breech mechanism in breech-loading small arms and certain special guns, as automatic and machine guns; --used frequently in referring to the method by which the movable barrels of breech- loading shotguns are locked, unlocked, or rotated to loading position.

BREECHBLOCK Breech"block, n.

Defn: 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.

BREECHCLOTH Breech"cloth`, n.

Defn: A cloth worn around the breech.

BREECHES Breech"es, n. pl. Etym: [OE. brech, brek, AS. brek, pl. of broc breech, breeches; akin to Icel. brok breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. Brail.]

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

2. Trousers; pantaloons. [Colloq.] Breeches buoy, in the life-saving service, a pair of canvas breeches depending from an annular or beltlike life buoy which is usually of cork. This contrivance, inclosing the person to be rescued, is hung by short ropes from a block which runs upon the hawser stretched from the ship to the shore, and is drawn to land by hauling lines. -- Breeches pipe, a forked pipe forming two branches united at one end. -- Knee breeches, breeches coming to the knee, and buckled or fastened there; smallclothes. -- To wear the breeches, to usurp the authority of the husband; -- said of a wife. [Colloq.]

BREECHING Breech"ing, n.

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

2. That part of a harness which passes round the breech of a horse, enabling him to hold back a vehicle.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: A strong rope rove through the cascabel of a cannon and secured to ringbolts in the ship's side, to limit the recoil of the gun when it is discharged.

4. The sheet iron casing at the end of boilers to convey the smoke from the flues to the smokestack.

BREECHLOADER Breech"load`er, n.

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

BREECH-LOADING Breech"-load`ing, a.

Defn: Receiving the charge at the breech instead of at the muzzle.

BREECH PIN; BREECH SCREW Breech" pin`, Breech" screw`.

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

BREECH SIGHT Breech" sight`.

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

BREED Breed, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bred; p. pr. & vb. n. Breeding.] Etym: [OE. breden, AS. bredan to nourish, cherish, keep warm, from brod brood; akin to D. broeden to brood, OHG. bruoten, G. brüten. See Brood.]

1. To produce as offspring; to bring forth; to bear; to procreate; to generate; to beget; to hatch. Yet every mother breeds not sons alike. Shak. If the sun breed maggots in a dead dog. Shak.

2. To take care of in infancy, and through the age of youth; to bring up; to nurse and foster. To bring thee forth with pain, with care to breed. Dryden. Born and bred on the verge of the wilderness. Everett.

3. To educate; to instruct; to form by education; to train; -- sometimes followed by up. But no care was taken to breed him a Protestant. Bp. Burnet. His farm may not remove his children too far from him, or the trade he breeds them up in. Locke.

4. To engender; to cause; to occasion; to originate; to produce; as, to breed a storm; to breed disease. Lest the place And my quaint habits breed astonishment. Milton.

5. To give birth to; to be the native place of; as, a pond breeds fish; a northern country breeds stout men.

6. To raise, as any kind of stock.

7. To produce or obtain by any natural process. [Obs.] Children would breed their teeth with less danger. Locke.

Syn. -- To engender; generate; beget; produce; hatch; originate; bring up; nourish; train; instruct.

BREED Breed, v. i.

1. To bear and nourish young; to reproduce or multiply itself; to be pregnant. That they breed abundantly in the earth. Gen. viii. 17. The mother had never bred before. Carpenter. Ant. Is your gold and silver ewes and rams Shy. I can not tell. I make it breed as fast. Shak.

2. To be formed in the parent or dam; to be generated, or to grow, as young before birth.

3. To have birth; to be produced or multiplied. Heavens rain grace On that which breeds between them. Shak.

4. To raise a breed; to get progeny. The kind of animal which you wish to breed from. Gardner. To breed in and in, to breed from animals of the same stock that are closely related.

BREED Breed, n.

1. A race or variety of men or other animals (or of plants), perpetuating its special or distinctive characteristics by inheritance. Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed. Shak. Greyhounds of the best breed. Carpenter.

2. Class; sort; kind; -- of men, things, or qualities. Are these the breed of wits so wondered at Shak. This courtesy is not of the right breed. Shak.

3. A number produced at once; a brood. [Obs.]

Note: Breed is usually applied to domestic animals; species or variety to wild animals and to plants; and race to men.

BREEDBATE Breed"bate, n.

Defn: One who breeds or originates quarrels. [Obs.] "No telltale nor no breedbate." Shak.

BREEDER Breed"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, breeds, produces, brings up, etc. She was a great breeder. Dr. A. Carlyle. Italy and Rome have been the best breeders of worthy men. Ascham.

2. A cause. "The breeder of my sorrow." Shak.

BREEDING Breed"ing, n.

1. The act or process of generating or bearing.

2. The raising or improving of any kind of domestic animals; as, farmers should pay attention to breeding.

3. Nurture; education; formation of manners. She had her breeding at my father's charge. Shak.

4. Deportment or behavior in the external offices and decorums of social life; manners; knowledge of, or training in, the ceremonies, or polite observances of society. Delicacy of breeding, or that polite deference and respect which civility obliges us either to express or counterfeit towards the persons with whom we converse. Hume.

5. Descent; pedigree; extraction. [Obs.] Honest gentlemen, I know not your breeding. Shak. Close breeding, In and in breeding, breeding from a male and female from the same parentage. -- Cross breeding, breeding from a male and female of different lineage. -- Good breeding, politeness; genteel deportment.

Syn. -- Education; instruction; nurture; training; manners. See Education.

BREEZE; BREEZE FLY Breeze, Breeze" fly` (, n. Etym: [OE. brese, AS. briósa; perh. akin to OHG. brimissa, G. breme, bremse, D. brems, which are akin to G. brummen to growl, buzz, grumble, L. fremere to murmur; cf. G. brausen, Sw. brusa, Dan. bruse, to roar, rush.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fly of various species, of the family Tabanidæ, noted for buzzing about animals, and tormenting them by sucking their blood; -- called also horsefly, and gadfly. They are among the largest of two- winged or dipterous insects. The name is also given to different species of botflies. [Written also breese and brize.]

BREEZE Breeze, n. Etym: [F. brise; akin to It. brezza breeze, Sp. briza, brisa, a breeze from northeast, Pg. briza northeast wind; of uncertain origin; cf. F. bise, Pr. bisa, OHG. bisa, north wind, Arm. biz northeast wind.]

1. A light, gentle wind; a fresh, soft-blowing wind. Into a gradual calm the breezes sink. Wordsworth.

2. An excited or ruffed state of feeling; a flurry of excitement; a disturbance; a quarrel; as, the discovery produced a breeze. [Colloq.] Land breeze, a wind blowing from the land, generally at night. -- Sea breeze, a breeze or wind blowing, generally in the daytime, from the sea.

BREEZE Breeze, n. Etym: [F. braise cinders, live coals. See Brasier.]

1. Refuse left in the process of making coke or burning charcoal.

2. (Brickmaking)

Defn: Refuse coal, coal ashes, and cinders, used in the burning of bricks.

BREEZE Breeze, v. i.

Defn: To blow gently. [R.] J. Barlow. To breeze up (Naut.), to blow with increasing freshness.

BREEZELESS Breeze"less, a.

Defn: Motionless; destitute of breezes. A stagnant, breezeless air becalms my soul. Shenstone.

BREEZINESS Breez"i*ness, n.

Defn: State of being breezy.

BREEZY Breez"y, a.

1. Characterized by, or having, breezes; airy. "A breezy day in May." Coleridge. 'Mid lawns and shades by breezy rivulets fanned. Wordsworth.

2. Fresh; brisk; full of life. [Colloq.]

BREGMA Breg"ma, n. Etym: [Gr. bregma.] (Anat.)

Defn: The point of junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures of the skull.

BREGMATIC Breg*mat"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining to the bregma.

BREHON Bre"hon, n. Etym: [Ir. breitheamh judge.]

Defn: An ancient Irish or Scotch judge. Brehon laws, the ancient Irish laws, -- unwritten, like the common law of England. They were abolished by statute of Edward III.

BRELAN Bre*lan", n. [F.] (Card Playing) (a) A French gambling game somewhat like poker. (b) In French games, a pair royal, or triplet.

BRELAN CARRE Bre*lan" car`re". [F. carré square.] (Card Playing)

Defn: In French games, a double pair royal.

BRELAN FAVORI Bre*lan" fa`vo`ri". [F. favori favorite.] (Card Playing)

Defn: In French games, a pair royal composed of 2 cards in the hand and the card turned.

BRELOQUE Bre*loque", n. [F.]

Defn: A seal or charm for a watch chain. "His chains and breloques." Thackeray.

BREME Breme, a. Etym: [OE. breme, brime, fierce, impetuous, glorious, AS. breme, br, famous. Cf. Brim, a.]

1. Fierce; sharp; severe; cruel. [Obs.] Spenser. From the septentrion cold, in the breme freezing air. Drayton.

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

BREN; BRENNE Bren, Bren"ne, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Brent (p. pr. & vb. n. Brenning.] Etym: [See Burn.]

Defn: To burn. [Obs.] Chaucer. Consuming fire brent his shearing house or stall. W. Browne.

BREN Bren, n.

Defn: Bran. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BRENNAGE Bren"nage, n. Etym: [OF. brenage; cf. LL. brennagium, brenagium. See Bran.] (Old Eng. Law)

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

BRENNINGLY Bren"ning*ly, adv.

Defn: Burningly; ardently. [Obs.]

BRENT; BRANT Brent, Brant, a. Etym: [AS. brant; akin to Dan. brat, Icel. brattr, steep.]

1. Steep; high. [Obs.] Grapes grow on the brant rocks so wonderfully that ye will marvel how any man dare climb up to them. Ascham.

2. Smooth; unwrinkled. [Scot.] Your bonnie brow was brent. Burns.

BRENT Brent, imp. & p.p.

Defn: of Bren. Burnt. [Obs.]

BRENT Brent, n. Etym: [Cf. Brant.]

Defn: A brant. See Brant.

BREQUET CHAIN Breq"uet chain`.

Defn: A watch-guard.

BRERE Brere, n.

Defn: A brier. [Archaic] Chaucer.

BREST Brest, 3d sing.pr.

Defn: for Bursteth. [Obs.]

BREST; BREAST Brest, Breast, n. (Arch.)

Defn: A torus. [Obs.]

BRESTE Bres"te, v. t. & i. [imp. Brast; p. p. Brusten, Borsten, Bursten.]

Defn: To burst. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BRESTSUMMER Brest"sum`mer, n.

Defn: See Breastsummer.

BRET Bret, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Birt.

BRETFUL Bret"ful, a. Etym: [OE. also brerdful, fr. brerd top, brim, AS. brerd.]

Defn: Brimful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BRETHREN Breth"ren, n.;

Defn: pl. of Brother.

Note: This form of the plural is used, for the most part, in solemn address, and in speaking of religious sects or fraternities, or their members.

BRETON Bret"on, a. Etym: [F. breton.]

Defn: Of or relating to Brittany, or Bretagne, in France. -- n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Brittany, or Bretagne, in France; also, the ancient language of Brittany; Armorican.

BRETT Brett, n.

Defn: Same as Britzska.

BRETTICE Bret"tice, n.; pl. Brettices. Etym: [OE. bretasce, bretage, parapet, OF. bretesche wooden tower, F. bretèche, LL. breteschia, bertresca, prob. fr. OHG. bret, G. brett board; akin to E. board. See Board, n., and cf. Bartizan.]

Defn: The wooden boarding used in supporting the roofs and walls of coal mines. See Brattice.

BRETWALDA Bret"wal*da, n. Etym: [AS. Bretwalda, br, a powerful ruler.] (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: The official title applied to that one of the Anglo-Saxon chieftains who was chosen by the other chiefs to lead them in their warfare against the British tribes. Brande & C.

BRETZEL Bret"zel, n. Etym: [G.]

Defn: See Pretzel.

BREVE Breve, n. Etym: [It. & (in sense 2) LL. breve, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief.]

1. (Mus.)

Defn: A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. When dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. It was formerly of a square figure (as thus: Moore.

2. (Law)

Defn: Any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court.

3. (Print.)

Defn: A curved mark [˘] used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The great ant thrush of Sumatra (Pitta gigas), which has a very short tail.

BREVET Bre*vet", n. Etym: [F. brevet, LL. brevetum, fr. L. brevis short. See Brief.]

1. A warrant from the government, granting a privilege, title, or dignity. [French usage].

2. (Mil.)

Defn: A commission giving an officer higher rank than that for which he receives pay; an honorary promotion of an officer.

Note: In the United States army, rank by brevet is conferred, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for "gallant actions or meritorious services." A brevet rank gives no right of command in the particular corps to which the officer brevetted belongs, and can be exercised only by special assignment of the President, or on court martial, and detachments composed of different corps, with pay of the brevet rank when on such duty.

BREVET Bre*vet", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brevetted (; p. pr. & vb. n. Brevetting.] (Mil.)

Defn: To confer rank upon by brevet.

BREVET Bre*vet", a. (Mil.)

Defn: Taking or conferring rank by brevet; as, a brevet colonel; a brevet commission.

BREVETCY Bre*vet"cy, n.; pl. Brevetcies (. (Mil.)

Defn: The rank or condition of a brevet officer.

BREVIARY Bre"vi*a*ry, n.; pl. Breviaries (. Etym: [F. bréviarie, L. breviarium summary, abridgment, neut. noun fr. breviarius abridged, fr. brevis short. See Brief, and cf. Brevier.]

1. An abridgment; a compend; an epitome; a brief account or summary. A book entitled the abridgment or breviary of those roots that are to be cut up or gathered. Holland.

2. A book containing the daily public or canonical prayers of the Roman Catholic or of the Greek Church for the seven canonical hours, namely, matins and lauds, the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours, vespers, and compline; -- distinguished from the missal.

BREVIATE Bre"vi*ate, n. Etym: [L. breviatus, p.p. of breviare to shorten, brevis short.]

1. A short compend; a summary; a brief statement. I omit in this breviate to rehearse. Hakluyt. The same little breviates of infidelity have . . . been published and dispersed with great activity. Bp. Porteus.

2. A lawyer's brief. [R.] Hudibras.

BREVIATE Bre"vi*ate, v. t.

Defn: To abbreviate. [Obs.]

BREVIATURE Bre"vi*a*ture, n.

Defn: An abbreviature; an abbreviation. [Obs.] Johnson.

BREVIER Bre*vier", n. Etym: [Prob. from being originally used in printing a breviary. See Breviary.] (Print.)

Defn: A size of type between bourgeous and minion.

Note: This line is printed in brevier type.

BREVILOQUENCE Bre*vil"o*quence, n. Etym: [L. breviloquentia.]

Defn: A brief and pertinent mode of speaking. [R.]

BREVIPED Brev"i*ped, a. Etym: [L. brevis short + pes, pedis, foot: cf. F. brévipède.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having short legs. -- n.

Defn: A breviped bird.

BREVIPEN Brev"i*pen, n. Etym: [L. brevis short + penna wing: cf. F. brévipenne.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A brevipennate bird.

BREVIPENNATE Brev`i*pen"nate, a. Etym: [L. brevis short + E. pennate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Short-winged; -- applied to birds which can not fly, owing to their short wings, as the ostrich, cassowary, and emu.

BREVIROSTRAL; BREVIROSTRATE Brev`i*ros"tral, Brev`i*ros"trate, a. Etym: [L. brevis short + E. rostral, rostrate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Short-billed; having a short beak.

BREVITY Brev"i*ty, n.; pl. Brevities. Etym: [L. brevitas, fr. brevis short: cf. F. brièvité. See Brief.]

1. Shortness of duration; briefness of time; as, the brevity of human life.

2. Contraction into few words; conciseness. Brevity is the soul of wit. Shak. This argument is stated by St. John with his usual elegant brevity and simplicity. Bp. Porteus.

Syn. -- Shortness; conciseness; succinctness; terseness.

BREW Brew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Brewing.] Etym: [OE. brewen, AS. breówan; akin to D. brouwen, OHG. priuwan, MHG. briuwen, br, G. brauen, Icel. brugga, Sw. brygga, Dan. brygge, and perh. to L. defrutum must boiled down, Gr. to prepare by heat. sq. root93. Cf. Broth, Bread.]

1. To boil or seethe; to cook. [Obs.]

2. To prepare, as beer or other liquor, from malt and hops, or from other materials, by steeping, boiling, and fermentation. "She brews good ale." Shak.

3. To prepare by steeping and mingling; to concoct. Go, brew me a pottle of sack finely. Shak.

4. To foment or prepare, as by brewing; to contrive; to plot; to concoct; to hatch; as, to brew mischief. Hence with thy brewed enchantments, foul deceiver! Milton.

BREW Brew, v. i.

1. To attend to the business, or go through the processes, of brewing or making beer. I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour. Shak.

2. To be in a state of preparation; to be mixing, forming, or gathering; as, a storm brews in the west. There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest. Shak.

BREW Brew, n.

Defn: The mixture formed by brewing; that which is brewed. Bacon.

BREWAGE Brew"age, n.

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

BREWER Brew"er, n.

Defn: One who brews; one whose occupation is to prepare malt liquors.

BREWERY Brew"er*y, n.

Defn: A brewhouse; the building and apparatus where brewing is carried on.

BREWHOUSE Brew"house`, n.

Defn: A house or building appropriated to brewing; a brewery.

BREWING Brew"ing, n.

1. The act or process of preparing liquors which are brewed, as beer and ale.

2. The quantity brewed at once. A brewing of new beer, set by old beer. Bacon.

3. A mixing together. I am not able to avouch anything for certainty, such a brewing and sophistication of them they make. Holland.

4. (Naut.)

Defn: A gathering or forming of a storm or squall, indicated by thick, dark clouds.

BREWIS Brew"is, n. Etym: [OE. brewis, brouwys, browesse, brewet, OF. brouet, -s being the OF. ending of the nom. sing. and acc. pl.; dim. of OHG. brod. sq. root93. See Broth, and cf. Brose.]

1. Broth or pottage. [Obs.] Let them of their Bonner's "beef" and "broth" make what brewis they please for their credulous guests. Bp. Hall.

2. Bread soaked in broth, drippings of roast meat, milk, or water and butter.

BREWSTERITE Brews"ter*ite, n. Etym: [Named after Sir David Brewster.]

Defn: A rare zeolitic mineral occurring in white monoclinic crystals with pearly luster. It is a hydrous silicate of aluminia, baryta, and strontia.

BREZILIN Brez"i*lin, n.

Defn: See Brazilin.

BRIAR Bri"ar, n.

Defn: Same as Brier.

BRIAREAN Bri*a"re*an, a. Etym: [L. Briareius, fr. Briareus a mythological hundred-handed giant, Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, Briareus, a giant fabled to have a hundred hands; hence, hundred-handed or many-handed.

BRIBABLE Brib"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being bribed. A more bribable class of electors. S. Edwards.

BRIBE Bribe, n. Etym: [F. bribe a lump of bread, scraps, leavings of meals (that are generally given to a beggar), LL. briba scrap of bread; cf. OF. briber, brifer, to eat gluttonously, to beg, and OHG. bilibi food.]

1. A gift begged; a present. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. A price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promised with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, voter, or other person in a position of trust. Undue reward for anything against justice is a bribe. Hobart.

3. That which seduces; seduction; allurement. Not the bribes of sordid wealth can seduce to leave these everAkenside.

BRIBE Bribe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bribed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bribing.]

1. To rob or steal. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To give or promise a reward or consideration to (a judge, juror, legislator, voter, or other person in a position of trust) with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct; to induce or influence by a bribe; to give a bribe to. Neither is he worthy who bribes a man to vote against his conscience. F. W. Robertson.

3. To gain by a bribe; of induce as by a bribe.

BRIBE Bribe, v. i.

1. To commit robbery or theft. [Obs.]

2. To give a bribe to a person; to pervert the judgment or corrupt the action of a person in a position of trust, by some gift or promise. An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be criminal, and the offender may be indicted. Bouvier. The bard may supplicate, but cannot bribe. Goldsmith.

BRIBELESS Bribe"less, a.

Defn: Incapable of being bribed; free from bribes. From thence to heaven's bribeless hall. Sir W. Raleigh.

BRIBER Brib"er, n.

1. A thief. [Obs.] Lydgate.

2. One who bribes, or pays for corrupt practices.

3. That which bribes; a bribe. His service . . . were a sufficient briber for his life. Shak.

BRIBERY Brib"er*y, n.; pl. Briberies. Etym: [OE. brybery rascality, OF. briberie. See Bribe, n.]

1. Robbery; extortion. [Obs.]

2. The act or practice of giving or taking bribes; the act of influencing the official or political action of another by corrupt inducements. Bribery oath, an oath taken by a person that he has not been bribed as to voting. [Eng.]

BRIC-A BRAC; BRIC-A-BRAC; BRIC A BRAC Bric"-a brac`, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Miscellaneous curiosities and works of decorative art, considered collectively. A piece of bric-a-brac, any curious or antique article of virtu, as a piece of antiquated furniture or metal work, or an odd knickknack.

BRICK Brick, n. Etym: [OE. brik, F. brique; of Ger. origin; cf. AS. brice a breaking, fragment, Prov. E. brique piece, brique de pain, equiv. to AS. hlafes brice, fr. the root of E. break. See Break.]

1. A block or clay tempered with water, sand, etc., molded into a regular form, usually rectangular, and sun-dried, or burnt in a kiln, or in a heap or stack called a clamp. The Assyrians appear to have made much less use of bricks baked in the furnace than the Babylonians. Layard.

2. Bricks, collectively, as designating that kind of material; as, a load of brick; a thousand of brick. Some of Palladio's finest examples are of brick. Weale.

3. Any oblong rectangular mass; as, a brick of maple sugar; a penny brick (of bread).

4. A good fellow; a merry person; as, you 're a brick. [Slang] "He 's a dear little brick." Thackeray. To have a brick in one's hat, to be drunk. [Slang]

Note: Brick is used adjectively or in combination; as, brick wall; brick clay; brick color; brick red. Brick clay, clay suitable for, or used in making, bricks. -- Brick dust, dust of pounded or broken bricks. -- Brick earth, clay or earth suitable for, or used in making, bricks. -- Brick loaf, a loaf of bread somewhat resembling a brick in shape. -- Brick nogging (Arch.), rough brickwork used to fill in the spaces between the uprights of a wooden partition; brick filling. -- Brick tea, tea leaves and young shoots, or refuse tea, steamed or mixed with fat, etc., and pressed into the form of bricks. It is used in Northern and Central Asia. S. W. Williams. -- Brick trimmer (Arch.), a brick arch under a hearth, usually within the thickness of a wooden floor, to guard against accidents by fire. -- Brick trowel. See Trowel. -- Brick works, a place where bricks are made. -- Bath brick. See under Bath, a city. -- Pressed brick, bricks which, before burning, have been subjected to pressure, to free them from the imperfections of shape and texture which are common in molded bricks.

BRICK Brick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bricked; p. pr. & vb. n. Bricking.]

1. To lay or pave with bricks; to surround, line, or construct with bricks.

2. To imitate or counterfeit a brick wall on, as by smearing plaster with red ocher, making the joints with an edge tool, and pointing them. To brick up, to fill up, inclose, or line, with brick.

BRICKBAT Brick"bat`, n.

Defn: A piece or fragment of a brick. See Bat, 4. Bacon.

BRICKFIELDER Brick"field`er, n. [Australia]

1.

Defn: Orig., at Sydney, a cold and violent south or southwest wind, rising suddenly, and regularly preceded by a hot wind from the north; -- now usually called southerly buster. It blew across the Brickfields, formerly so called, a district of Sydney, and carried clouds of dust into the city.

2. By confusion, a midsummer hot wind from the north.

BRICKKILN Brick"kiln`, n.

Defn: A kiln, or furnace, in which bricks are baked or burnt; or a pile of green bricks, laid loose, with arches underneath to receive the wood or fuel for burning them.

BRICKLAYER Brick"lay`er, n. Etym: [Brick + lay.]

Defn: One whose pccupation is to build with bricks. Bricklayer's itch. See under Itch.

BRICKLAYING Brick"lay`ing, n.

Defn: The art of building with bricks, or of uniting them by cement or mortar into various forms; the act or occupation of laying bricks.

BRICKLE Bric"kle, a. Etym: [OE. brekil, brokel, bruchel, fr. AS. brecan, E. break. Cf. Brittle.]

Defn: Brittle; easily broken. [Obs. or Prov.] Spenser. As stubborn steel excels the brickle glass. Turbervile.

BRICKLENESS Bric"kle*ness, n.

Defn: Brittleness. [Obs.]

BRICKMAKER Brick"mak`er, n.

Defn: One whose occupation is to make bricks. -- Brick"mak*ing, n.

BRICKWORK Brick"work`, n.

1. Anything made of bricks. Niches in brickwork form the most difficult part of the bricklayer's art. Tomlinson.

2. The act of building with or laying bricks.

BRICKY Brick"y, a.

Defn: Full of bricks; formed of bricks; resembling bricks or brick dust. [R.] Spenser.

BRICKYARD Brick"yard`, n.

Defn: A place where bricks are made, especially an inclosed place.

BRICOLE Bri*cole", n. Etym: [F.] (Mil.)

Defn: A kind of traces with hooks and rings, with which men drag and maneuver guns where horses can not be used.

BRID Brid, n.

Defn: A bird. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BRIDAL Brid"al, a. Etym: [From Bride. Cf. Bridal, n.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a bride, or to wedding; nuptial; as, bridal ornaments; a bridal outfit; a bridal chamber.

BRIDAL Brid"al, n. Etym: [OE. bridale, brudale, AS. br brideale, bridal feast. See Bride, and Ale, 2.]

Defn: A nuptia; festival or ceremony; a marriage. Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The bridal of the earth and sky. Herbert.

BRIDALTY Brid"al*ty, n.

Defn: Celebration of the nuptial feast. [Obs.] "In honor of this bridalty." B. Jonson.

BRIDE Bride, n. Etym: [OE. bride, brid, brude, brud, burd, AS. br; akin to OFries. breid, OSax. br, D. bruid, OHG. pr, br, G. braut, Icel. br, Sw. & Dan. brud, Goth. br33s; cf. Armor. pried spouse, W. priawd a married person.]

1. A woman newly married, or about to be married. Has by his own experience tried How much the wife is dearer than the bride. Lyttleton. I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. Rev. xxi. 9.

2. Fig.: An object ardently loved. Bride of the sea, the city of Venice.

BRIDE Bride, v. t.

Defn: To make a bride of. [Obs.]

BRIDE-ALE Bride"-ale`, n. Etym: [See Bridal.]

Defn: A rustic wedding feast; a bridal. See Ale. The man that 's bid to bride-ale, if he ha' cake, And drink enough, he need not fear his stake. B. Jonson.

BRIDEBED Bride"bed`, n.

Defn: The marriage bed. [Poetic]

BRIDECAKE Bride"cake`, n.

Defn: Rich or highly ornamented cake, to be distributed to the guests at a wedding, or sent to friends after the wedding.

BRIDECHAMBER Bride"cham`ber, n.

Defn: The nuptial appartment. Matt. ix. 15.

BRIDEGROOM Bride"groom`, n. Etym: [OE. bridegome, brudgume, AS. br (akin to OS. br, D. bruidegom, bruigom, OHG. pr, MHG. briutegome, G. bräutigam); AS. br bride + guma man, akin to Goth. guma, Icel. gumi, OHG. gomo, L. homo; the insertion of r being caused by confusion with groom. See Bride, and cf. Groom, Homage.]

Defn: A man newly married, or just about to be married.

BRIDEKNOT Bride"knot`, n.

Defn: A knot of ribbons worn by a guest at a wedding; a wedding favor. [Obs.]

BRIDEMAID; BRIDEMAN Bride"maid`, n., Bride"man (, n.

Defn: See Bridesmaid, Bridesman.

BRIDESMAID Brides"maid`, n.

Defn: A female friend who attends on a bride at her wedding.

BRIDESMAN Brides"man, n.; pl. Bridesmen (.

Defn: A male friend who attends upon a bridegroom and bride at their marriage; the "best man." Sir W. Scott.

BRIDESTAKE Bride"stake`, n.

Defn: A stake or post set in the ground, for guests at a wedding to dance round. Divide the broad bridecake Round about the bridestake. B. Jonson.

BRIDEWELL Bride"well, n.

Defn: A house of correction for the confinement of disorderly persons; -- so called from a hospital built in 1553 near St. Bride's (or Bridget's) well, in London, which was subsequently a penal workhouse.

BRIDGE Bridge, n. Etym: [OE. brig, brigge, brug, brugge, AS. brycg, bricg; akin to Fries. bregge, D. brug, OHG. bruccu, G. brücke, Icel. bryggja pier, bridge, Sw. brygga, Dan. brygge, and prob. Icel. br bridge, Sw. & Dan. bro bridge, pavement, and possibly to E. brow.]

1. A structure, usually of wood, stone, brick, or iron, erected over a river or other water course, or over a chasm, railroad, etc., to make a passageway from one bank to the other.

2. Anything supported at the ends, which serves to keep some other thing from resting upon the object spanned, as in engraving, watchmaking, etc., or which forms a platform or staging over which something passes or is conveyed.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: The small arch or bar at right angles to the strings of a violin, guitar, etc., serving of raise them and transmit their vibrations to the body of the instrument.

4. (Elec.)

Defn: A device to measure the resistance of a wire or other conductor forming part of an electric circuit.

5. A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; -- usually called a bridge wall. Aqueduct bridge. See Aqueduct. -- Asses' bridge, Bascule bridge, Bateau bridge. See under Ass, Bascule, Bateau. -- Bridge of a steamer (Naut.), a narrow platform across the deck, above the rail, for the convenience of the officer in charge of the ship; in paddlewheel vessels it connects the paddle boxes. -- Bridge of the nose, the upper, bony part of the nose. -- Cantalever bridge. See under Cantalever. -- Draw bridge. See Drawbridge. -- Flying bridge, a temporary bridge suspended or floating, as for the passage of armies; also, a floating structure connected by a cable with an anchor or pier up stream, and made to pass from bank to bank by the action of the current or other means. -- Girder bridge or Truss bridge, a bridge formed by girders, or by trusses resting upon abutments or piers. -- Lattice bridge, a bridge formed by lattice girders. -- Pontoon bridge, Ponton bridge. See under Pontoon. -- Skew bridge, a bridge built obliquely from bank to bank, as sometimes required in railway engineering. -- Suspension bridge. See under Suspension. -- Trestle bridge, a bridge formed of a series of short, simple girders resting on trestles. -- Tubular bridge, a bridge in the form of a hollow trunk or rectangular tube, with cellular walls made of iron plates riveted together, as the Britannia bridge over the Menai Strait, and the Victoria bridge at Montreal. -- Wheatstone's bridge (Elec.), a device for the measurement of resistances, so called because the balance between the resistances to be measured is indicated by the absence of a current in a certain wire forming a bridge or connection between two points of the apparatus; -- invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone.

BRIDGE Bridge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bridged (; p. pr. & vb. n. Bridging.]

1. To build a bridge or bridges on or over; as, to bridge a river. Their simple engineering bridged with felled trees the streams which could not be forded. Palfrey.

2. To open or make a passage, as by a bridge. Xerxes . . . over Hellespont Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joined. Milton.

3. To find a way of getting over, as a difficulty; -- generally with over.

BRIDGEBOARD Bridge"board`, n.

1. (Arch.)

Defn: A notched board to which the treads and risers of the steps of wooden stairs are fastened.

2. A board or plank used as a bridge.

BRIDGEHEAD Bridge"head`, n.

Defn: A fortification commanding the extremity of a bridge nearest the enemy, to insure the preservation and usefulness of the bridge, and prevent the enemy from crossing; a tête-de-pont.

BRIDGEING; BRIDGING Bridge"ing, Bridg"ing, n. (Arch.)

Defn: The system of bracing used between floor or other timbers to distribute the weight. Bridging joist. Same as Binding joist.

BRIDGELESS Bridge"less, a.

Defn: Having no bridge; not bridged.

BRIDGEPOT Bridge"pot`, n. (Mining)

Defn: The adjustable socket, or step, of a millstone spindle. Knight.

BRIDGETREE Bridge"tree`, n. Etym: [Bridge + tree a beam.] (Mining)

Defn: The beam which supports the spindle socket of the runner in a grinding mill. Knight.

BRIDGE-WARD Bridge"-ward`, n.

1. A bridge keeper; a warden or a guard for a bridge. [Obs.] Sir W. Scott.

2. The principal ward of a key. Knight.

BRIDGEY Bridge"y, a.

Defn: Full of bridges. [R.] Sherwood.

BRIDLE Bri"dle, n. Etym: [OE. bridel, AS. bridel; akin to OHG. britil, brittil, D. breidel, and possibly to E. braid. Cf. Bridoon.]

1. The head gear with which a horse is governed and restrained, consisting of a headstall, a bit, and reins, with other appendages.

2. A restraint; a curb; a check. I. Watts.

3. (Gun.)

Defn: The piece in the interior of a gun lock, which holds in place the timbler, sear, etc.

4. (Naut.) (a) A span of rope, line, or chain made fast as both ends, so that another rope, line, or chain may be attached to its middle. (b) A mooring hawser. Bowline bridle. See under Bowline. -- Branches of a bridle. See under Branch. -- Bridle cable (Naut.), a cable which is bent to a bridle. See 4, above. -- Bridle hand, the hand which holds the bridle in riding; the left hand. -- Bridle path, Bridle way, a path or way for saddle horses and pack horses, as distinguished from a road for vehicles. -- Bridle port (Naut.), a porthole or opening in the bow through which hawsers, mooring or bridle cables, etc., are passed. -- Bridle rein, a rein attached to the bit. -- Bridle road. (a) Same as Bridle path. Lowell. (b) A road in a pleasure park reserved for horseback exercise. -- Bridle track, a bridle path. -- Scolding bridle. See Branks, 2.

Syn. -- A check; restrain.

BRIDLE Bri"dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bridled; p. pr. & vb. n. Bridling.]

1. To put a bridle upon; to equip with a bridle; as, to bridle a horse. He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist. Drake.

2. To restrain, guide, or govern, with, or as with, a bridle; to check, curb, or control; as, to bridle the passions; to bridle a muse. Addison. Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that consolidation. Burke.

Syn. -- To check; restrain; curb; govern; control; repress; master; subdue.

BRIDLE Bri"dle, v. i.

Defn: To hold up the head, and draw in the chin, as an expression of pride, scorn, or resentment; to assume a lofty manner; -- usually with up. "His bridling neck." Wordsworth. By her bridling up I perceived she expected to be treated hereafter not as Jenny Distaff, but Mrs. Tranquillus. Tatler.

BRIDLE IRON Bri"dle i`ron. (Arch.)

Defn: A strong flat bar of iron, so bent as to support, as in a stirrup, one end of a floor timber, etc., where no sufficient bearing can be had; -- called also stirrup and hanger.

BRIDLER Bri"dler, n.

Defn: One who bridles; one who restrains and governs, as with a bridle. Milton.

BRIDOON Bri*doon", n. Etym: [F. bridon, from bride; of German origin. See Bridle, n.] (Mil.)

Defn: The snaffle and rein of a military bridle, which acts independently of the bit, at the pleasure of the rider. It is used in connection with a curb bit, which has its own rein. Campbell.

BRIE CHEESE Brie" cheese".

Defn: A kind of soft French cream cheese; -- so called from the district in France where it is made; --called also fromage de Brie.

BRIEF Brief, a. Etym: [OE. bref, F. brief, bref, fr. L. brevis; akin to Gr. barh to tear. Cf. Breve.]

1. Short in duration. How brief the life of man. Shak.

2. Concise; terse; succinct. The brief style is that which expresseth much in little. B. Jonson.

3. Rife; common; prevalent. [Prov. Eng.] In brief. See under Brief, n.

Syn. -- Short; concise; succinct; summary; compendious; condensed; terse; curt; transistory; short-lived.

BRIEF Brief, adv.

1. Briefly. [Obs. or Poetic] Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief. Milton.

2. Soon; quickly. [Obs.] Shak.

BRIEF Brief, n. Etym: [See Brief, a., and cf. Breve.]

1. A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words. Bear this sealed brief, With winged hastle, to the lord marshal. Shak. And she told me In a sweet, verbal brief. Shak.

2. An epitome. Each woman is a brief of womankind. Overbury.

3. (Law)

Defn: An abridgment or concise statement of a client's case, made out for the instruction of counsel in a trial at law. This word is applied also to a statement of the heads or points of a law argument. It was not without some reference to it that I perused many a brief. Sir J. Stephen.

Note: In England, the brief is prepared by the attorney; in the United States, counsel generally make up their own briefs.

4. (Law)

Defn: A writ; a breve. See Breve, n., 2.

5. (Scots Law)

Defn: A writ issuing from the chancery, directed to any judge ordinary, commanding and authorizing that judge to call a jury to inquire into the case, and upon their verdict to pronounce sentence.

6. A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose. [Eng.] Apostolical brief, a letter of the pope written on fine parchment in modern characters, subscribed by the secretary of briefs, dated "a die Nativitatis," i. e., "from the day of the Nativity," and sealed with the ring of the fisherman. It differs from a bull, in its parchment, written character, date, and seal. See Bull. -- Brief of title, an abstract or abridgment of all the deeds and other papers constituting the chain of title to any real estate. -- In brief, in a few words; in short; briefly. "Open the matter in brief." Shak.

BRIEF Brief, v. t.

Defn: To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings.

BRIEFLESS Brief"less, a.

Defn: Having no brief; without clients; as, a briefless barrister.

BRIEFLY Brief"ly, adv.

Defn: Concisely; in few words.

BRIEFMAN Brief"man, n.

1. One who makes a brief.

2. A copier of a manuscript.

BRIEFNESS Brief"ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being brief; brevity; conciseness in discourse or writing.

BRIER; BRIAR Bri"er, Bri"ar, n. Etym: [OE. brere, brer, AS. brer, brær; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.]

1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.

2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings. The thorns and briers of reproof. Cowper. Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia and S. Walleri; -- used for tobacco pipes. -- Cat brier, Green brier, several species of Smilax (S. rotundifolia, etc.) -- Sweet brier (Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier. -- Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina.

BRIERED Bri"ered, a.

Defn: Set with briers. Chatterton.

BRIERY Bri"er*y, a.

Defn: Full of briers; thorny.

BRIERY Bri"er*y, n.

Defn: A place where briers grow. Huloet.

BRIG Brig, n.

Defn: A bridge. [Scot.] Burns.

BRIG Brig, n. Etym: [Shortened from Brigantine.] (Naut.)

Defn: A two-masted, square-rigged vessel. Hermaphrodite brig, a two- masted vessel square-rigged forward and schooner-rigged aft. See Illustration in Appendix.

BRIGADE Bri*gade", n. Etym: [F. brigade, fr. It. brigata troop, crew, brigade, originally, a contending troop, fr. briga trouble, quarrel. See Brigand.]

1. (Mil.)

Defn: A body of troops, whether cavalry, artillery, infantry, or mixed, consisting of two or more regiments, under the command of a brigadier general.

Note: Two or more brigades constitute a division, commanded by a major general; two or more divisions constitute an army corps, or corps d'armée. [U.S.]

2. Any body of persons organized for acting or marching together under authority; as, a fire brigade. Brigade inspector, an officer whose duty is to inspect troops in companies before they are mustered into service. -- Brigade major, an officer who may be attached to a brigade to assist the brigadier in his duties.

BRIGADE Bri*gade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brigaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Brigading.] (Mil.)

Defn: To form into a brigade, or into brigades.

BRIGADIER GENERAL Brig`a*dier" gen"er*al. Etym: [F. brigadier, fr. brigade.] (Mil.)

Defn: An officer in rank next above a colonel, and below a major general. He commands a brigade, and is sometimes called, by a shortening of his title, simple a brigadier.

BRIGAND Brig"and, n. Etym: [F. brigand, OF. brigant light-armed soldier, fr. LL. brigans light-armed soldier (cf. It. brigante.) fr. brigare to strive, contend, fr. briga quarrel; prob. of German origin, and akin to E. break; cf. Goth. brikan to break, brakja strife. Cf. Brigue.]

1. A light-armed, irregular foot soldier. [Obs.]

2. A lawless fellow who lives by plunder; one of a band of robbers; especially, one of a gang living in mountain retreats; a highwayman; a freebooter. Giving them not a little the air of brigands or banditti. Jeffery.

BRIGANDAGE Brig"and*age, n. Etym: [F. brigandage.]

Defn: Life and practice of brigands; highway robbery; plunder.

BRIGANDINE Brig"an*dine, n. Etym: [F. brigandine (cf. It. brigantina), fr. OF. brigant. See Brigand.]

Defn: A coast of armor for the body, consisting of scales or plates, sometimes overlapping each other, generally of metal, and sewed to linen or other material. It was worn in the Middle Ages. [Written also brigantine.] Jer. xlvi. 4. Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet, And brigandine of brass. Milton.

BRIGANDISH Brig"and*ish, a.

Defn: Like a brigand or freebooter; robberlike.

BRIGANDISM Brig"and*ism, n.

Defn: Brigandage.

BRIGANTINE Brig"an*tine, n. Etym: [F. brigantin, fr. It. brigantino, originally, a practical vessel. See Brigand, and cf. Brig]

1. A practical vessel. [Obs.]

2. A two-masted, square-rigged vessel, differing from a brig in that she does not carry a square mainsail.

3. See Brigandine.

BRIGGE Brig"ge, n.

Defn: A bridge. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BRIGHT Bright, v. i.

Defn: See Brite, v. i.

BRIGHT Bright, a. Etym: [OE. briht, AS. beorht, briht; akin to OS. berht, OHG. beraht, Icel. bjartr, Goth. baírhts. sq. root94.]

1. Radiating or reflecting light; shedding or having much light; shining; luminous; not dark. The sun was bright o'erhead. Longfellow. The earth was dark, but the heavens were bright. Drake. The public places were as bright as at noonday. Macaulay.

2. Transmitting light; clear; transparent. From the brightest wines He 'd turn abhorrent. Thomson.

3. Having qualities that render conspicuous or attractive, or that affect the mind as light does the eye; resplendent with charms; as, bright beauty. Bright as an angel new-dropped from the sky. Parnell.

4. Having a clear, quick intellect; intelligent.

5. Sparkling with wit; lively; vivacious; shedding cheerfulness and joy around; cheerful; cheery. Be bright and jovial among your guests. Shak.

6. Illustrious; glorious. In the brightest annals of a female reign. Cotton.

7. Manifest to the mind, as light is to the eyes; clear; evident; plain. That he may with more ease, with brighter evidence, and with surer success, draw the bearner on. I. Watts.

8. Of brilliant color; of lively hue or appearance. Here the bright crocus and blue violet grew. Pope.

Note: Bright is used in composition in the sense of brilliant, clear, sunny, etc.; as, bright-eyed, bright-haired, bright-hued.

Syn. -- Shining; splending; luminous; lustrous; brilliant; resplendent; effulgent; refulgent; radiant; sparkling; glittering; lucid; beamy; clear; transparent; illustrious; witty; clear; vivacious; sunny.

BRIGHT Bright, n.

Defn: Splendor; brightness. [Poetic] Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appear. Milton.

BRIGHT Bright, adv.

Defn: Brightly. Chaucer. I say it is the moon that shines so bright. Shak.

BRIGHTEN Bright"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brightened; p. pr. & vb. n. Brightening.]

Note: [From Bright, a.]

1. To make bright or brighter; to make to shine; to increase the luster of; to give a brighter hue to.

2. To make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to. The present queen would brighten her character, if she would exert her authority to instill virtues into her people. Swift.

3. To improve or relieve by dispelling gloom or removing that which obscures and darkens; to shed light upon; to make cheerful; as, to brighten one's prospects. An ecstasy, which mothers only feel, Plays round my heart and brightens all my sorrow. Philips.

4. To make acute or witty; to enliven. Johnson.

BRIGHTEN Bright"en, v. i. Etym: [AS. beorhtan.]

Defn: To grow bright, or more bright; to become less dark or gloomy; to clear up; to become bright or cheerful. And night shall brighten into day. N. Cotton. And, all his prospects brightening to the last, His heaven commences ere world be past. Goldsmith.

BRIGHT-HARNESSED Bright"-har`nessed, a.

Defn: Having glittering armor. [Poetic] Milton.

BRIGHTLY Bright"ly, adv.

1. Brilliantly; splendidly; with luster; as, brightly shining armor.

2. With lively intelligence; intelligently. Looking brightly into the mother's face. Hawthorne.

BRIGHTNESS Bright"ness, n. Etym: [AS. beorhines. See Bright.]

1. The quality or state of being bright; splendor; luster; brilliancy; clearness. A sudden brightness in his face appear. Crabbe.

2. Acuteness (of the faculties); sharpness 9wit. The brightness of his parts . . . distinguished him. Prior.

Syn. -- Splendor; luster; radiance; resplendence; brilliancy; effulgence; glory; clearness.

BRIGHT'S DISEASE Bright's" dis*ease". Etym: [From Dr. Bright of London, who first described it.] (Med.)