braza

American  

[brah-thah, -sah] / ˈbrɑ θɑ, -sɑ /

noun

brazas plural

1. a unit of length in some Spanish-speaking countries, representing the reach of outspread arms, officially 5.48 U.S. ft. (1.67 meters) in Spain and 5.68 U.S. ft. (1.73 meters) in Argentina.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• brazas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of braza

< Spanish < Latin brāchia arms (neuter plural), taken as feminine singular; see brace

Example Sentences

It lays its eggs, which are three times larger than those of our hens, in sandy places, and easily buries them in a hole about one braza deep.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 21 of 55 1624 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century. by Robertson, James Alexander

The sawyers of brazas16 shall receive four reals for each braza one braza long and one vara wide, but nothing else.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century, Volume XXVI, 1636 by Blair, Emma Helen

This bird lays its eggs in the sand, a braza deep, at the edge of the water.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 05 of 55 1582-1583 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century by Blair, Emma Helen

Not a braza of rope did I find, nor balls for ten pieces of artillery which are here.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 1591-1593 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century by Robertson, James Alexander

It is possible that the name, febues du Brésil, was given to it on account of its red color, as was that of the Brazil-wood, from the Portuguese word braza, a burning coal.

From Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 03 by Otis, Charles P. (Charles Pomeroy)