breech
Americannoun
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the lower, rear part of the trunk of the body; buttocks.
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the hinder or lower part of anything.
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Ordnance. the rear part of the bore of a gun, especially the opening and associated mechanism that permits insertion of a projectile.
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Machinery. the end of a block or pulley farthest from the supporting hook or eye.
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Nautical. the outside angle of a knee in the frame of a ship.
verb (used with object)
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Ordnance. to fit or furnish (a gun) with a breech.
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to clothe with breeches.
noun
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the lower dorsal part of the human trunk; buttocks; rump
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the lower part or bottom of something
the breech of the bridge
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the lower portion of a pulley block, esp the part to which the rope or chain is secured
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the part of a firearm behind the barrel or bore
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obstetrics short for breech delivery
verb
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to fit (a gun) with a breech
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archaic to clothe in breeches or any other clothing
Usage
Breech is sometimes wrongly used as a verb where breach is meant: the barrier/agreement was breached (not breeched )
Other Word Forms
Etymology
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
Explanation
A breech is an opening in a gun where bullets are loaded. If you’re battling armed zombies, remember that the breech is in the rear. Speaking of rears, in a breech birth, a baby comes out feet, or rear, first. Guns or rifles can either be loaded from the back part — called the breech — or from the front — called the muzzle. Most modern guns are loaded from the breech end. And if you’re single-handedly fighting a zombie army, you’d better hope your weapon is breech-loading; it’s much safer and faster to load a gun from the breech.
Vocabulary lists containing breech
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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Commonly Confused Words, List 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
CBS Sports’ John Breech gave the Seahawks a B+ for their performance on Sunday.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 25, 2023
CBS Sports’ John Breech gave the Seahawks a B- for their Week 13 performance.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2022
CBS Sports’ John Breech gave the Seahawks a C- for their Week 3 showing.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2021
Nowadays, David Breech works at an appliance store in Wisconsin.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2021
Breech, brēch, n. the lower part of the body behind: the hinder part of anything, esp. of a gun.—v.t. to put into breeches: to flog.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
