Breeches

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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  • 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

  • Breeches — in der historischen Form: Kaiser Joseph II. (um 1780) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • breeches — c.1200, a double plural, from O.E. brec breeches, which already was plural of broc garment for the legs and trunk, from P.Gmc. *brokiz (Cf. O.N. brok, Du. broek, Dan. brog, O.H.G. bruoh, Ger. Bruch, obsolete since 18c. except in Swiss dialect),… …   Etymology dictionary

  • breeches — [brich′iz] pl.n. [see BREECH] 1. trousers reaching to or just below the knees and often tapered to fit closely 2. Informal any trousers too big for one s breeches Informal too forward, presumptuous, etc. for one s position or status …   English World dictionary

  • breeches — (izg. brȉčis) ž pl. tantum DEFINICIJA jahaće hlače gore široke, a dolje tijesno priljubljene uz nogu ETIMOLOGIJA engl …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • breeches — ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ short trousers fastened just below the knee, now worn for riding or as part of ceremonial dress …   English terms dictionary

  • breeches — n.pl. (also pair of breeches sing.) 1 short trousers, esp. fastened below the knee, now used esp. for riding or in court costume. 2 colloq. any trousers, knickerbockers, or underpants. Phrases and idioms: Breeches Bible the Geneva Bible of 1560… …   Useful english dictionary

  • 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 — Stiefelhose; Reithosen * * * Bree|ches 〈[bri:tʃız] nur Pl.〉 oben weite, um die Waden enganliegende Kniehose, Reithose [engl., „Knie , Reithose“] * * * Bree|ches [ brɪt̮ʃəs] <Pl.> [engl. breeches, Pl. von: breech < aengl. brēc, Pl. von:… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • breeches — /brich iz/, n. (used with a pl. v.) 1. Also called knee breeches. knee length trousers, often having ornamental buckles or elaborate decoration at or near the bottoms, commonly worn by men and boys in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. 2.… …   Universalium

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