Etymology From Middle English brest, from Old English brēost, from Proto-West Germanic *breust, from Proto-Germanic *breustą, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrews- (“to swell”). Compare West Frisian boarst, Danish bryst, Swedish bröst; cf. also Dutch borst, German Brust.
Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences Either of the two organs on the front of a female human's chest, which contain the mammary glands; also the analogous organs in males.
Tanya’s breasts grew remarkably during pregnancy.
Biblical criteria of sexual seductiveness include a white skin, black hair, or henna-dyed, scarlet lips, a prominent nose, rosy temples, long straight neck, firm breasts, round thighs, an erect posture.1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 219:
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‘She has big breasts’, Chuck said. ‘Who? Patty? Oh yes.’ Hentman nodded. ‘Well, it’s that operation they give in Hollywood and New York. It’s more the rage now than the dilation, and she’s had that done, too.’1964, Philip K. Dick, “TWELVE”, in Clans of the Alphane Moon, United States: Ace Books, →OCLC; republished London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1996, →ISBN, page 173:
Amies Oelschlager said in a statement that oral contraceptives that contain estrogen may cause side effects such as headaches, nausea, and breast tenderness.2023 July 21, Amanda Musa, “The FDA approved the US’ first over-the-counter birth control pill. What happens next?”, in CNN:
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Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences The chest, or front of the human thorax.
The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, / For he heard the loud bassoon.1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:
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A section of clothing covering the breast area.
By the time he reached the War Memorial damp had soaked through the breasts of his shirt.1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 45:
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The figurative seat of the emotions, feelings etc.; one’s heart or innermost thoughts.
She kindled hope in the breast of all who heard her.
He has a loyal breast.1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
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[…]Thou best know’st What torment I did find thee in. Thy groans Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts Of ever-angry bears—it was a torment To lay upon the damn’d, which Sycorax Could not again undo. It was mine art, When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape The pine and let thee out.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
Muſick has Charms to ſooth a ſavage Breaſt, / To ſoften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.1697, [William] Congreve, The Mourning Bride, a Tragedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
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The ventral portion of an animal’s thorax.
The robin has a red breast.
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A choice cut of poultry, especially chicken or turkey, taken from the bird’s breast; also a cut of meat from other animals, breast of mutton, veal, pork.
Would you like breast or wing?
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The front or forward part of anything.
chimney breast
plough breast
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If you burn wood on its own, the flue gases are cooler than from a coal fire. This can result in tars condensing out within the parging and brickwork of the flue, sometimes causing brown or yellow staining on upstairs chimney breasts.2015 April 7, Jeff Howell, “The secret of longer lasting tiles [print version: How to avoid cracking up, 4 April 2015, p. P7]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Property), archived from the original on 22 Apr 2015:
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The upper surface of a landform or body of water.
Mountains on whose barren breast / The labouring clouds do often rest.a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
[…] In the distance the flowing glaze, the breast of the river, with a wind-dapple here and there, […]1865, Walt Whitman, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”, in Sequel to Drum-Taps: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d and other poems:
By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast.c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
Etymology From Middle English brest, from Old English brēost, from Proto-West Germanic *breust, from Proto-Germanic *breustą, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrews- (“to swell”). Compare West Frisian boarst, Danish bryst, Swedish bröst; cf. also Dutch borst, German Brust.
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Figuratively, Often To push against with the breast; to meet full on, oppose, face.
[…]when the court, very much to the credit of their candour and firmness, breasted the popular current by sustaining the demurrer.1817, William Wirt, Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry, page 22:
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To reach the top of (a hill or other prominence).
He breasted the hill and saw the town before him.
Vera Nugent, a brisk woman of the world, with a fondness for vivid clothing and a Spanish air which went oddly with it, took the trouble one fine day to tackle her brother. “Look here, Jimmy," she said as they breasted a mountain pass, “are you quite sure what you are up to with these people?”1916, Maurice Hewlett, Love and Lucy, page 247:
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With the sea below us grey and storm swept, and the coast line vague in the driving rain, we forged our way up the bank to breast the summit at 37 m.p.h.1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 8:
But this was excelled by the remarkable feat of Iron Duke, on the second run, in accelerating from a dead start at Miller's Dale up 1 in 90 to no less than 53 m.p.h. before breasting the summit at Peak Forest.1960 March, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 178: