To wear the breeches

To wear the breeches
Breeches Breech"es (br[i^]ch"[e^]z), n. pl. [OE. brech, brek, AS. br[=e]k, pl. of br[=o]c breech, breeches; akin to Icel. br[=o]k breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. {Brail}.] 1. A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes. [1913 Webster]

His jacket was red, and his breeches were blue. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]

2. Trousers; pantaloons. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

{Breeches buoy}, in the life-saving service, a pair of canvas breeches depending from an annular or beltlike life buoy which is usually of cork. This contrivance, inclosing the person to be rescued, is hung by short ropes from a block which runs upon the hawser stretched from the ship to the shore, and is drawn to land by hauling lines.

{Breeches pipe}, a forked pipe forming two branches united at one end.

{Knee breeches}, breeches coming to the knee, and buckled or fastened there; smallclothes.

{To wear the breeches}, to usurp the authority of the husband; -- said of a wife. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • wear the breeches — (of the female in a (usu marital) relationship) to be in charge • • • Main Entry: ↑breech …   Useful english dictionary

  • To wear the breeches — Wear Wear, v. t. [imp. {Wore} (w[=o]r); p. p. {Worn} (w[=o]rn); p. pr. & vb. n. {Wearing}. Before the 15th century wear was a weak verb, the imp. & p. p. being {Weared}.] [OE. weren, werien, AS. werian to carry, to wear, as arms or clothes; akin… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wear the breeches —    to be the dominant partner in a relationship between a man and a woman    Usually of the woman, from the days when only men wore the breech, breeches, trousers, or (in America) pants:     That you might still have worn the    petticoat,    And …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • Wear — Wear, v. t. [imp. {Wore} (w[=o]r); p. p. {Worn} (w[=o]rn); p. pr. & vb. n. {Wearing}. Before the 15th century wear was a weak verb, the imp. & p. p. being {Weared}.] [OE. weren, werien, AS. werian to carry, to wear, as arms or clothes; akin to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Breeches — Breech es (br[i^]ch [e^]z), n. pl. [OE. brech, brek, AS. br[=e]k, pl. of br[=o]c breech, breeches; akin to Icel. br[=o]k breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. {Brail}.] 1. A garment worn… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Breeches buoy — Breeches Breech es (br[i^]ch [e^]z), n. pl. [OE. brech, brek, AS. br[=e]k, pl. of br[=o]c breech, breeches; akin to Icel. br[=o]k breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. {Brail}.] 1. A… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Breeches pipe — Breeches Breech es (br[i^]ch [e^]z), n. pl. [OE. brech, brek, AS. br[=e]k, pl. of br[=o]c breech, breeches; akin to Icel. br[=o]k breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. {Brail}.] 1. A… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • The Revolutionists stop for Orangeade — is a poem from the second, 1931,edition of Wallace Stevens s first book of poetry, Harmonium. It was firstpublished in 1931, [Bates, p. 235] so it is restricted by copyright until 2025 inAmerica and similar jurisdictions, because of legislation… …   Wikipedia

  • breeches — noun /bɹɪitʃəz,bɹɪtʃəz/ a) A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes. And how then was the Devil drest? b) Trousers; pantaloons; britches. Oh! he was in his Sundays best: See Also …   Wiktionary

  • Breeches — (pronounced IPA| [ˈbritʃɪz] ) are an item of male clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. The breeching of a young… …   Wikipedia

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