breech

[ noun breech; verb breech, brich ]

/ noun britʃ; verb britʃ, brɪtʃ /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: breech / breeched / breeches / breeching on Thesaurus.com

noun

the lower, rear part of the trunk of the body; buttocks.

the hinder or lower part of anything.

Ordnance. the rear part of the bore of a gun, especially the opening and associated mechanism that permits insertion of a projectile.

Machinery. the end of a block or pulley farthest from the supporting hook or eye.

Nautical. the outside angle of a knee in the frame of a ship.

verb (used with object)

Ordnance. to fit or furnish (a gun) with a breech.

to clothe with breeches.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of breech

First recorded before 1000; Middle English breeche, Old English brēc, plural of brōc; cognate with Old Norse brōk, Old High German bruoh

OTHER WORDS FROM breech

un·breeched, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH breech

breach, breech

Words nearby breech

brede, bredie, bred-in-the-bone, bredren, bree, breech, breech baby, breech birth, breechblock, breechcloth, breech delivery

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use breech in a sentence

By midday Wednesday they were scrambling to plot a response to the monumental security breech.
Attacks on American Consulate in Libya kill four, including American Ambassador|Justin Green|September 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
This is exactly the breech into which progressive women should step.
Dems Need a Bachmann!|Gloria Feldt|September 10, 2011|DAILY BEAST
But it was not until fixed ammunition came into use that the breech-loader really came to stay—and that was only the other day.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge|Various
He devised the famous system of a dropping breech block, backed up by the hammer.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge|Various

Spain had 10,000 muskets to modernize by the same system, and the breech-block attachments were made at Ilion.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge|Various
The Whitmore double-barrel breech-loading shotgun was designed, and later developed into the Remington breech-loading shotgun.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge|Various
The Nubian wore black tights and shirt, black slippers and a white skull cap and breech-clout.
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various

British Dictionary definitions for breech

breech

noun (briːtʃ)

the lower dorsal part of the human trunk; buttocks; rump

the lower part or bottom of somethingthe breech of the bridge

the lower portion of a pulley block, esp the part to which the rope or chain is secured

the part of a firearm behind the barrel or bore

obstetrics short for breech delivery

verb (briːtʃ, brɪtʃ) (tr)

to fit (a gun) with a breech

archaic to clothe in breeches or any other clothing

Word Origin for breech

Old English brēc, plural of brōc leg covering; related to Old Norse brōk, Old High German bruoh

usage for breech

Breech is sometimes wrongly used as a verb where breach is meant: the barrier/agreement was breached (not breeched)

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

Medical definitions for breech

breech

[ brēch ]

The lower rear portion of the human trunk; the buttocks.

breech

Origin of breech

OTHER WORDS FROM breech

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH breech

Words nearby breech

learn more about breech

Words related to breech

How to use breech in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for breech

Word Origin for breech

usage for breech

Medical definitions for breech