britches

American

[brich-iz] / ˈbrɪtʃ ɪz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

breeches.

britches British

/ ˈbrɪtʃɪz /

plural noun

a variant spelling of breeches

"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

Etymology

Origin of britches

First recorded in 1880–85

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.

FTX was run by a young, irresponsible founder who got too big for his britches and drove the thing into the ground.

From Slate • Oct. 3, 2023

Revelers preferring a more classic look book an appointment with leather tailor Klaus Bensmann for customized, handmade britches fashioned from deer or cow leather.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2023

“They’re not too big for their britches, they’re not on a pedestal — you can actually reach out and call them.”

From Washington Post • Jan. 13, 2023

Yes, it triggers my happy Thanksgiving memories of being at my grandparents house with my cousins and aunts and uncles, riding horses and standing by the fire until my britches got hot to the touch.

From Salon • Nov. 23, 2022

Grandpa said I got into my britches too fast.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023