Etymology From Middle English breche, from Old English bryċe (“fracture, breach”) and brǣċ (“breach, breaking, destruction”), from Proto-West Germanic *bruki, from Proto-Germanic *brukiz (“breach, fissure”) and *brēkō (“breaking”).
A gap or opening made by breaking or battering, as in a wall, fortification or levee / embankment; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence.
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead."1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
Services between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High are currently suspended, following a 30-metre breach of the Union Canal that occurred on August 12 after torrential rain and thunderstorms. The thousands of gallons of water that cascaded onto the railway line below washed away track, ballast and overhead line equipment, and undermined embankments along a 300-metre section of Scotland's busiest rail link.2020 August 26, “Network News: Major flood damage severs key Edinburgh-Glasgow rail artery”, in Rail, page 21:
2
The act of breaking, in a figurative sense.
But were the poet to make a total difression from his subject, and introduce a new actor, nowise connected with the personages, the imagination, feeling a breach in transition, would enter coldly into the new scene;1748, David Hume, Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, Section 3, § 12:
3
Law A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment.
breach of promise
4
A breaking up of amicable relations, a falling out.
There's fallen between him and my lord / An unkind breach.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
5
Figuratively A difference in opinions, social class, etc.
For London to have its own exclusive immigration policy would exacerbate the sense that immigration benefits only certain groups and disadvantages the rest. It would entrench the gap between London and the rest of the nation. And it would widen the breach between the public and the elite that has helped fuel anti-immigrant hostility.2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, “London Is Special, but Not That Special”, in New York Times, retrieved 28 Sep 2013:
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A breaking of waters, as over a vessel or a coastal defence; the waters themselves.
A clear breach is when the waves roll over the vessel without breaking. A clean breach is when everything on deck is swept away.
And Dauid came to Baal-Perazim, and Daiud ſmote them there, and ſaid, The Lord hath broken foorth vpon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Samuel 5:20, column 1:
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I cast my eye to the stranded vessel, when, the breach and froth of the sea being so big, I could hardly see it, it lay so far of; and considered, Lord! how was it possible I could get on shore.1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe:
7
A breaking out upon; an assault.
And Dauid was diſpleaſed, becauſe the Lord had made a breach vpon Uzza; wherefore that place is called Perez-Uzza, to this day.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Chronicles 13:11, columns 1–2:
An vncouth paine torments my grieued ſoule, And death arreſts the organe of my voyce. Who entring at the breach thy ſword hath made, Sackes euery vaine and artier of my heart, […]c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii:
Breach, for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath cauſed a blemiſh in a man, ſo ſhall it be done to him againe.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 24:20, column 1:
Etymology From Middle English breche, from Old English bryċe (“fracture, breach”) and brǣċ (“breach, breaking, destruction”), from Proto-West Germanic *bruki, from Proto-Germanic *brukiz (“breach, fissure”) and *brēkō (“breaking”).
1
To make a breach in.
They breached the outer wall, but not the main one.
2
To violate or break.
breach an agreement
breach an accord
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"I therefore agree with the Court that the Government did breach its contract with petitioners in failing to approve, within 30 days of its receipt, the plan of exploration petitioners submitted."2000, Justice Stevens., Mobile Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast, Inc. v. United States:
3
Nautical, TransportOf the sea To break into a ship or into a coastal defence.
On this occasion, the damage was far more serious. The sea wall was breached completely for a distance of over 50 yd., and the gap had to be bridged by a temporary timber viaduct.1947 January and February, H. A. Vallance, “The Sea Wall at Dawlish”, in Railway Magazine, page 18:
4
To suffer a breach.
Picard: We don't have time for this! The Pasteur’s core is going to breach!1994, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore, “All Good Things...”, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, season 7, episodes 25-26, Patrick Stewart (actor):
5
To leap out of the water.
Of a whale or other sea creature
The fearless whale-fishermen now found themselves in the midst of the monsters; ... some ... came jumping into the light of day, head uppermost, exhibiting their entire bodies in the sun, and falling on their sides into the water with the weight of a hundred tons, and thus "breaching" with a crash that the thunder of a park of artillery could scarcely equal.1835, Joseph C. Hart, Miriam Coffin, or The whale-fishermen, volume 2, Harper & brothers, page 147:
But one of its most surprising feats, as has been mentioned of the genera already described, is leaping completely out of the water, or 'breaching,' as it is called. ... it seldom breaches more than twice or thrice at a time, and in quick succession.1837, Robert Hamilton, The natural history of the ordinary cetacea or whales, W.H. Lizars, page 166:
6
LawInformal, Passive, Usually To charge, convict or take legal action against someone due to not meeting a legal obligation.
[…]the Pre-Sentence Report states that: "He was breached by the probation officer within several months of the commencement of the Probation Order for failing to report as he relocated to another Province and did not report there as directed.[…]"2011 June 7, D.A. Harris, “R. v. Larochelle, 2011 ONCJ 339”, in CanLII, retrieved 10 Oct 2021:
However, you can breach your landlord if the maintenance item is considered an emergency repair under the terms of your lease.2023 January 30, Frances Fernandez, “Can I stop paying rent if the landlord refuses to do maintenance?”, in First National Real Estate Rochedale:
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Tenants have a right to breach a landlord for a failure to undertake necessary maintenance.2025 February 27, “Tenant rental rights you need to know about”, in RentCover:
"We breached them for a number of code breaches and we recommended to the Nine Network that they publish that and essentially what we were saying is that if you do that then we'll consider the file closed," Mr Chapman said.2016 February 16, Max Mason, “ACMA boss Chris Chapman calls for stronger powers”, in Sydney Morning Herald:
How often have you had to breach someone for, effectively, failure to cooperate with an investigation by not providing information?2025 March 4, Barbara Pocock, “Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services - 04/03/2025 - Oversight of ASIC, the Takeovers Panel and the Corporations Legislation public hearing”, in parliamentary debates: