I. ˈbrest noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English brest, breest, from Old English brēost; akin to Old High German brust breast, Old Norse brjōst, Gothic brusts (plural) breast, Old Irish brū belly, Russian bryukho
1.
a. : either of two protuberant milk-producing glandular organs situated on the front of the chest or thorax in the human female and some other mammals and normally functional only during the period of lactation following pregnancy
b. : any discrete mammary gland — compare udder
c. : a breast in lactation
giving the infant son the breast
broadly : a source of nourishment
the university serving as the breast for this intellectual movement
d. : either of the paired and normally nonfunctional mammary glands of the human male especially when excessively enlarged and protuberant (as by reason of accumulated fatty tissue)
2.
a. : the fore or ventral part of the body between the neck and the abdomen : the front of the chest
a soldier shot in the breast
a bird with an orange breast
also : either side of the front of the chest
a wound in the right breast
b. obsolete : the whole upper part of the body : thorax
c. : the breastbone with its attached muscles (as of a calf, lamb, or fowl dressed as meat)
d. obsolete : the bodily area containing the lungs ; also : singing voice
3. : the breast regarded as the seat of emotion, affection, sentiment, thought, or intent : bosom , heart
opposing the enemy with dauntless breast
causing little concern in official breasts
4. : something resembling a breast : a front, forward, swelling, bulging, or curving part
the breast of the lake
a.
(1) : the portion of a wall between a window and the floor
(2) : chimney breast 2
(3) : the underside of a member (as a handrail, beam, or rafter)
(4) : a portion of a wall projecting outward (as at a chimney)
b. : the front part of a plow moldboard
c.
(1) : the face of a tunnel or mine working
(2) : a room or stall in a coal mine
d.
(1) : the fore part of the heel of a shoe next to the shank
(2) : the front face of a shoe heel
e. : the side of the hearth containing the metal notch in a shaft furnace
f. : the first roller of a carding machine
g. : breast fast
h. : the end of a can having a central raised section containing an opening
5. archaic : the broad even front of a group or body in motion
6.
a. : the part of an article of clothing covering the breast
with pockets at the breast
their breasts were laden with decorations and medals — F.J.Mather
b. : breastplate
7. : the portion of an arrow that touches the bow when in position for shooting
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to oppose the breast to : face , confront : oppose or contend against manfully
breasting the waves
breasting the storm of traffic — Adrian Bell
to dare to breast an entrenched political machine
2. Britain : to climb resolutely : ascend
the train had breasted the heavy ascent — O.S.Nock
the ponies breasted the steep shale slopes — Douglas Carruthers
3. : to draw abreast of or alongside of
4. : to haul or bring broadside on
breasting the ship against the dock with the winches
5. : to thrust the chest against
the sprinter breasted the tape
intransitive verb
1. : to press forward with or as if with the breast
ships breasting through the waves
2. : to approach especially in order to accost
a stranger came breasting up to him