breast

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen

   They beat their breast in anger.

2. 2
   verb

   to confront bodily

   We breast the storm all night long.

3. 3
   verb

   to reach the summit of a mountain

   They breasted Everest last year.

4. 4
   verb

   to meet at chest level

   The runner breasted the tape.

5. 5
   noun

   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.

6. 6
   noun

   The chest, or front of the human thorax.

   The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, / For he heard the loud bassoon.

7. 7
   noun

   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.

8. 8
   noun

   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.

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.