breast

noun

1. 1

   Either of the two organs on the front of a female human's chest, which contain the mammary glands; also the analogous organs in males.

   Tanya’s breasts grew remarkably during pregnancy.

   Biblical criteria of sexual seductiveness include a white skin, black hair, or henna-dyed, scarlet lips, a prominent nose, rosy temples, long straight neck, firm breasts, round thighs, an erect posture.

   ‘She has big breasts’, Chuck said. ‘Who? Patty? Oh yes.’ Hentman nodded. ‘Well, it’s that operation they give in Hollywood and New York. It’s more the rage now than the dilation, and she’s had that done, too.’

   Amies Oelschlager said in a statement that oral contraceptives that contain estrogen may cause side effects such as headaches, nausea, and breast tenderness.

2. 2

   The chest, or front of the human thorax.

   The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, / For he heard the loud bassoon.

3. 3

   A section of clothing covering the breast area.

   By the time he reached the War Memorial damp had soaked through the breasts of his shirt.

4. 4

   The figurative seat of the emotions, feelings etc.; one’s heart or innermost thoughts.

   She kindled hope in the breast of all who heard her.

   He has a loyal breast.

   […]Thou best know’st What torment I did find thee in. Thy groans Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts Of ever-angry bears—it was a torment To lay upon the damn’d, which Sycorax Could not again undo. It was mine art, When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape The pine and let thee out.

   Muſick has Charms to ſooth a ſavage Breaſt, / To ſoften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.

5. 5

   The ventral portion of an animal’s thorax.

   The robin has a red breast.

6. 6

   A choice cut of poultry, especially chicken or turkey, taken from the bird’s breast; also a cut of meat from other animals, breast of mutton, veal, pork.

   Would you like breast or wing?

7. 7

   The front or forward part of anything.

   chimney breast

   plough breast

   If you burn wood on its own, the flue gases are cooler than from a coal fire. This can result in tars condensing out within the parging and brickwork of the flue, sometimes causing brown or yellow staining on upstairs chimney breasts.

8. 8

   The upper surface of a landform or body of water.

   Mountains on whose barren breast / The labouring clouds do often rest.

   […] In the distance the flowing glaze, the breast of the river, with a wind-dapple here and there, […]

9. 9

   The face of a coal working.

10. 10

    The front of a furnace.

11. 11

    obsoleteThe power of singing; a musical voice.

    By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast.

12. 12

    The breaststroke.

verb

1. 1

   figurativeTo push against with the breast; to meet full on, oppose, face.

   […]when the court, very much to the credit of their candour and firmness, breasted the popular current by sustaining the demurrer.

   It wasn’t pinchers fault that he was not the first to breast the bar.

2. 2

   To reach the top of (a hill or other prominence).

   He breasted the hill and saw the town before him.

   Vera Nugent, a brisk woman of the world, with a fondness for vivid clothing and a Spanish air which went oddly with it, took the trouble one fine day to tackle her brother. “Look here, Jimmy," she said as they breasted a mountain pass, “are you quite sure what you are up to with these people?”

   With the sea below us grey and storm swept, and the coast line vague in the driving rain, we forged our way up the bank to breast the summit at 37 m.p.h.

   But this was excelled by the remarkable feat of Iron Duke, on the second run, in accelerating from a dead start at Miller's Dale up 1 in 90 to no less than 53 m.p.h. before breasting the summit at Peak Forest.

3. 3

   To debreast.

   Breast the birds; wash and dry well. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the birds in a roasting pan.

Forms

plural

breasts

past tense

breasted

past participle

breasted

present participle

breasting

third person singular

breasts