Standard Lemma guide

breech

adj · adv · noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbɹiːt͡ʃ/
  • [ˈbɹwɪi̯t͡ʃ]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːtʃ
  • homophone: breach
  • CMU ARPABET: B R IY1 CH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Born, or having been born, breech.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: medicine, obstetrics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

With the hips coming out before the head.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: medicine, obstetrics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A garment whose purpose is to cover or clothe the buttocks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: attributive, countable, historical, in-plural, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The buttocks or backside.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The part of a cannon or other firearm behind the chamber.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: engineering, firearms, government, military, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, politics, tools, war, weaponry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A breech birth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, obstetrics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To dress in breeches. (especially) To dress a boy in breeches or trousers for the first time (the breeching ceremony).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To beat or spank on the buttocks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To fit or furnish with a breech.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to breech a gun

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To fasten with breeching.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To cover as if with breeches.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, poetic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

opening in the rear of the barrel of a gun where bullets can be loaded

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rear of barrel, rear of tube

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: opening

History

Etymology

From Middle English breche, from Old English brēċ, from Proto-Germanic *brōkiz pl, from Proto-Germanic *brōks (“clothing for loins and thighs”). Cognate with Dutch broek, Alemannic German Bruech, Swedish brok. Doublet of vraka.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Tagalog: suhi — Born, or having been born, breech
  • Czech: pumpky — Garment that clothes the buttocks
  • Czech: golfky — Garment that clothes the buttocks
  • Czech: tříčtvrteční kalhoty — Garment that clothes the buttocks
  • Finnish: lannevaate — Garment that clothes the buttocks
  • French: culotte — Garment that clothes the buttocks
  • German: Hose — Garment that clothes the buttocks
  • German: Hintern — buttocks, backside
  • German: Hinterteil — buttocks, backside
  • Catalan: culata — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Czech: závěr — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Finnish: perä — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • French: culasse — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • German: Schwanzschraube — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Italian: culatta — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Russian: казённик (kazjónnik) — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Russian: казённая часть (kazjónnaja častʹ) — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Spanish: culata — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Swedish: bakstycke — part of a cannon or other firearm
  • Czech: porod koncem pánevním — birth
  • German: Steißlage — birth
  • Spanish: parto de nalgas — birth
  • German: Hosen tragen — to dress in breeches
Real reading context

breech in complete knowledge articles