Brach`y*cat`a*lec"tic (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;; brachy`s short + &?; to leave off; cf. &?; incomplete.] (Gr. & Last. Pros.) A verse wanting two syllables at its termination.
{ Brach`y*ce*phal"ic (&?;), Brach`y*ceph"a*lous (&?;) }, a. [Gr. brachy`s short + &?; head.] (Anat.) Having the skull short in proportion to its breadth; shortheaded; -- in distinction from dolichocephalic.
{ Brach`y*ceph"a*ly (&?;), Brach`y*ceph"a*lism (&?;) }, n. [Cf. F. Brachycéphalie] . (Anat.) The state or condition of being brachycephalic; shortness of head.
Bra*chyc"er*al (&?;), a. [Gr. brachy`s short + &?; horn.] (Zoöl.) Having short antennæ, as certain insects.
Brach`y*di*ag"o*nal (&?;), a. [Gr. brachy`s short + E. diagonal.] Pertaining to the shorter diagonal, as of a rhombic prism.
Brachydiagonal axis, the shorter lateral axis of an orthorhombic crystal.
Brach`y*di*ag"o*nal, n. The shorter of the diagonals in a rhombic prism.
Brach`y*dome (&?;), n. [Gr. brachy`s short + E. dome.] (Crystallog.) A dome parallel to the shorter lateral axis. See Dome.
Bra*chyg"ra*pher (&?;), n. A writer in short hand; a stenographer.
He asked the brachygrapher whether he wrote the notes of the sermon.
Gayton.
Bra*chyg"ra*phy (&?;), n. [Gr. brachy`s short + -graphy: cf. F. brachygraphie.] Stenography. B. Jonson.
Bra*chyl"o*gy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; : brachy`s short + &?; discourse: cf. F. brachylogie.] (Rhet.) Conciseness of expression; brevity.
Brach`y*pin"a*coid (&?;), n. [Gr. brachy`s short + E. pinacoid.] (Crytallog.) A plane of an orthorhombic crystal which is parallel both to the vertical axis and to the shorter lateral (brachydiagonal) axis.
||Bra*chyp"te*ra (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; short-winged; brachy`s short + &?; feather, wing.] (Zoöl.) A group of Coleoptera having short wings; the rove beetles.
||Bra*chyp"te*res (&?;), n.pl. [NL. See Brachyptera. ] (Zoöl.) A group of birds, including auks, divers, and penguins.
Bra*chyp"ter*ous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; : cf. F. brachyptère.] (Zoöl.) Having short wings.
Bra*chys"to*chrone (&?;), n. [Incorrect for brachistochrone, fr. Gr. bra`chistos shortest (superl. of brachy`s short) + &?; time : cf. F. brachistochrone. ] (Math.) A curve, in which a body, starting from a given point, and descending solely by the force of gravity, will reach another given point in a shorter time than it could by any other path. This curve of quickest descent, as it is sometimes called, is, in a vacuum, the same as the cycloid.
Brach"y*ty`pous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; short + &?; stamp, form.] (Min.) Of a short form.
||Brach`y*u"ra (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. brachy`s short + &?; tail.] (Zoöl.) A group of decapod Crustacea, including the common crabs, characterized by a small and short abdomen, which is bent up beneath the large cephalo-thorax. [Also spelt Brachyoura.] See Crab, and Illustration in Appendix.
{ Brach`y*u"ral (&?;), Brach`y*u"rous (&?;) }, a. [Cf. F. brachyure.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Brachyura.
Brach`y*u"ran (&?;), n. One of the Brachyura.
Bra"cing (&?;), a. Imparting strength or tone; strengthening; invigorating; as, a bracing north wind.
Bra"cing (&?;), n. 1. The act of strengthening, supporting, or propping, with a brace or braces; the state of being braced.
2. (Engin.) Any system of braces; braces, collectively; as, the bracing of a truss.
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Brack (brk), n. [Cf.D. braak, Dan. bræk, a breaking, Sw. & Icel. brak a crackling, creaking. Cf. Breach.] An opening caused by the parting of any solid body; a crack or breach; a flaw.
Stain or brack in her sweet reputation.
J. Fletcher.
Brack, n. [D. brak, adj., salt; cf. LG. wrak refuse, G. brack.] Salt or brackish water. [Obs.] Drayton.
Brack"en (&?;), n. [OE. braken, AS. bracce. See 2d Brake, n.] A brake or fern. Sir W. Scott.
Brack"et (&?;), n. [Cf.OF. braguette codpiece, F. brayette, Sp. bragueta, also a projecting mold in architecture; dim. fr.L. bracae breeches; cf. also, OF. bracon beam, prop, support; of unknown origin. Cf. Breeches.]
1. (Arch.) An architectural member, plain or ornamental, projecting from a wall or pier, to support weight falling outside of the same; also, a decorative feature seeming to discharge such an office.
This is the more general word. See Brace, Cantalever, Console, Corbel, Strut.
2. (Engin. & Mech.) A piece or combination of pieces, usually triangular in general shape, projecting from, or fastened to, a wall, or other surface, to support heavy bodies or to strengthen angles.