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Webster 1913 Edition


Breeches

Breech′es

(brĭch′ĕz)
,
Noun.
pl.
[OE.
brech
,
brek
, AS.
brēk
, pl. of
brōc
breech, breeches; akin to Icel.
brōk
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.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Breeches

BREECHES

,
Noun.
plu.
brich'es. [Low L. braccoe.]
A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs. It is now a close garment; but the word formerly was used for a loose garment, now called trowsers, laxoe braccoe.
To wear the breeches is, in the wife, to usurp the authority of the husband.

Definition 2024


breeches

breeches

English

A man wearing breeches.

Alternative forms

Noun

breeches

  1. plural of breech
  2. A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes.
    • 1829, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, "The Devil's Thoughts,"
      And how then was the Devil drest?
      Oh! he was in his Sunday's best:
      His jacket was red and his breeches were blue,
      And there was a hole where the tail came through.
  3. (informal) Trousers; pantaloons; britches.

Related terms

  • 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
  • wear the breeches: see wear the pants, wear the trousers
  • too big for one's britches: unacceptably cocky

Translations

See also