bread

[ bred ]

/ brɛd /

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noun

a kind of food made of flour or meal that has been mixed with milk or water, made into a dough or batter, with or without yeast or other leavening agent, and baked.

food or sustenance; livelihood: to earn one's bread.

Slang. money.

Ecclesiastical. the wafer or bread used in a Eucharistic service.

verb (used with object)

Cooking. to cover with breadcrumbs or meal.

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Idioms about bread

break bread,

to eat a meal, especially in companionable association with others.
to distribute or participate in Communion.

cast one's bread upon the waters, to act generously or charitably with no thought of personal gain.

know which side one's bread is buttered on, to be aware of those things that are to one's own advantage.

take the bread out of someone's mouth, to deprive someone of livelihood.

Origin of bread

before 950; 1950–55 for def. 3; Middle English breed,Old English brēad fragment, morsel, bread; cognate with German Brot

OTHER WORDS FROM bread

breadless, adjectivebread·less·ness, nounun·bread·ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bread

bread , bred

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bread in a sentence

Unwrap the potatoes, disposing of the herbs but keeping the roasted garlic to squeeze out onto bread.
Your Guide to Throwing an Outdoor Thanksgiving|AC Shilton|November 17, 2020|Outside Online
When I eat a warm, buttery piece of her walnut bread next to an open window, I can almost hear the swish of skins.
Ease into Winter with Backcountry-Approved Comfort Food|Christina Bernstein|November 12, 2020|Outside Online
Serve it with slices of bread or your favorite crackers for a filling all-day snack.
Thanksgiving appetizer recipes and easy cocktails to start the feast off right|Daniela Galarza, Becky Krystal|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Remove any crumbs from the baking sheet pan used for bread and grease it with cooking spray or oil.
This sheet-pan cornbread dressing has even more of the crispy, crunchy bits we love|Ann Maloney|November 11, 2020|Washington Post

Where we run into problems is that my bread and butter depends on their judgment.
Tom Heinsohn, mainstay of Boston Celtics dynasty as player, coach, dies at 86|Matt Schudel|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
A Man of humble birth and no breading, who held a high political office, was passing through a forest, when he met a Monkey.
Fantastic Fables|Ambrose Bierce
Must you prepare meat for breading half an hour before cooking, or when?
Prudence of the Parsonage|Ethel Hueston
The process of breading and frying is accomplished in this way.
A Course of Lectures on the Principles of Domestic Economy and Cookery|Juliet Corson

British Dictionary definitions for bread

bread

/ (brɛd) /

noun

a food made from a dough of flour or meal mixed with water or milk, usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked

necessary food; nourishmentgive us our daily bread

a slang word for money

Christianity a small loaf, piece of bread, or wafer of unleavened bread used in the Eucharist

bread and circuses something offered as a means of distracting attention from a problem or grievance

break bread See break (def. 46)

cast one's bread upon the waters to do good without expectation of advantage or return

to know which side one's bread is buttered to know what to do in order to keep one's advantages

take the bread out of someone's mouth to deprive someone of a livelihood

verb

(tr) to cover with breadcrumbs before cookingbreaded veal

Word Origin for bread

Old English brēad; related to Old Norse braud, Old Frisian brād, Old High German brōt

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with bread

bread

In addition to the idioms beginning with bread

bread and butter

also see:

break bread
greatest thing since sliced bread
know which side of bread is buttered
take the bread out of someone's mouth

bread

Idioms about bread

Origin of bread

OTHER WORDS FROM bread

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bread

Words related to bread

How to use bread in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bread

Word Origin for bread

Other Idioms and Phrases with bread