/ brest; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
PART OF BODY
1.
[ C ] either of the two round soft parts at the front of a woman's body that produce milk when she has had a baby :
She put the baby to her breast.
breast cancer
breast milk
2.
[ C ] the similar, smaller part on a man's body, which does not produce milk
3.
[ C ] ( literary ) the top part of the front of your body, below your neck
SYN chest :
She cradled the child against her breast.
CLOTHING
4.
[ C ] the part of a piece of clothing that covers your chest :
A row of medals was pinned to the breast of his coat.
OF BIRD
5.
[ C ] the front part of a bird's body :
breast feathers
The robin has a red breast.
MEAT
6.
[ C , U ] meat from the front part of the body of a bird or an animal :
chicken / turkey breasts
breast of lamb
-BREASTED
7.
(in adjectives) having the type of chest or breasts mentioned :
a small-breasted / full-breasted woman
bare-breasted
the yellow-breasted male of the species
—see also double-breasted , single-breasted
HEART
8.
[ C ] ( literary ) the part of the body where the feelings and emotions are thought to be :
a troubled breast
—see also chimney breast
•
IDIOMS
see beat verb , clean adjective
■ verb [ vn ] ( formal )
1.
to reach the top of a hill, etc. :
As they breasted the ridge, they saw the valley and lake before them.
2.
to push through sth, touching it with your chest :
He strode into the ocean, breasting the waves.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English brēost , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch borst and German Brust .