breasting

[ bres-ting ]

/ ˈbrɛs tɪŋ /

noun

a piece of leather or other material for covering the heel breast of a shoe.

Nearby words

breast-beating, breast-feed, breastbone, breasted, breasted, james henry, breasting, breastpin, breastplate, breastplow, breaststroke, breastsummer

Origin of breasting

breast + -ing¹

Definition for breasting (2 of 2)

breast

[ brest ]

/ brɛst /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology. (in bipeds) the outer, front part of the thorax, or the front part of the body from the neck to the abdomen; chest.

Zoology. the corresponding part in quadrupeds.

either of the pair of mammae occurring on the chest in humans and having a discrete areola around the nipple, especially the mammae of the female after puberty, which are enlarged and softened by hormonally influenced mammary-gland development and fat deposition and which secrete milk after the birth of a child: the breasts of males normally remain rudimentary.

the part of a garment that covers the chest.

the bosom conceived of as the center of emotion: What anger lay in his breast when he made that speech?

a projection from a wall, as part of a chimney.

any surface or part resembling or likened to the human breast.

Mining. the face or heading at which the work is going on.

Metallurgy.

the front of an open-hearth furnace.
the clay surrounding the taphole of a cupola.

Nautical.

breast line.
a rounded bow.

verb (used with object)

to meet or oppose boldly; confront: As a controversial public figure he has breasted much hostile criticism.

to contend with or advance against: The ship breasted the turbulent seas.

to climb or climb over (a mountain, obstacle, etc.).

to overcome, succeed against.

to come alongside or abreast of.

Verb Phrases

breast in, Nautical. to bind (an object, as a boatswain's chair) securely under a projection, as the flare of a bow.

breast off, Nautical.

to thrust (a vessel) sideways from a wharf.
to keep (a vessel) away from a wharf by means of timbers.

Origin of breast

before 1000; Middle English brest, Old English brēost; cognate with Old Norse brjōst; akin to German Brust, Gothic brusts, Dutch borst

Related forms

breast·less, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for breasting

Sober, I was loath to commit this absurdity; but breasting drunkenly that tide of dreams, it ceased to be absurd.
The Boss of Little Arcady|Harry Leon Wilson
No bird poured out its heart in them; no lark soared out of them, breasting heaven.
Fort Amity|Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
Her horse fought its way forward, breasting the flood valiantly.
The Shooting of Dan McGrew, A Novel|Marvin Dana
Three minutes later they were breasting through a low thicket of evergreen.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 8 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson

Breasting the volleys that met them, the Americans with loud cheers scaled the bank, and routed the enemy.
The Second War with England, Vol. 1 of 2|J. T. Headley.

British Dictionary definitions for breasting

breast

/ (brɛst) /

noun

the front part of the body from the neck to the abdomen; chest

either of the two soft fleshy milk-secreting glands on the chest in sexually mature human femalesadjective mammary

a similar organ in certain other mammals

anything that resembles a breast in shape or positionthe breast of the hill

a source of nourishmentthe city took the victims to its breast

the source of human emotions

the part of a garment that covers the breast

a projection from the side of a wall, esp that formed by a chimney

mining the face being worked at the end of a tunnel

beat one's breast to display guilt and remorse publicly or ostentatiously

make a clean breast of to make a confession of

verb (tr)

to confront boldly; facebreast the storm

to oppose with the breast or meet at breast levelbreasting the waves

to come alongside ofbreast the ship

to reach the summit ofbreasting the mountain top

Word Origin for breast

Old English brēost; related to Old Norse brjōst, Old High German brust, Dutch borst, Swedish bräss, Old Irish brū belly, body

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

Medicine definitions for breasting

breast

[ brĕst ]

n.

Either of two milk-secreting, glandular organs on the chest of a woman; mammary gland; mamma.

A corresponding rudimentary gland in the male.

The superior ventral surface of the human body, extending from the neck to the abdomen.

Idioms and Phrases with breasting

breast

see keep abreast of; make a clean breast of.