Bread"fruit` (&?;), n. (Bot.) 1. The fruit of a tree (Artocarpus incisa) found in the islands of the Pacific, esp. the South Sea islands. It is of a roundish form, from four to six or seven inches in diameter, and, when baked, somewhat resembles bread, and is eaten as food, whence the name.
2. (Bot.) The tree itself, which is one of considerable size, with large, lobed leaves. Cloth is made from the bark, and the timber is used for many purposes. Called also breadfruit tree and bread tree.
Bread"less, a. Without bread; destitute of food.
Plump peers and breadless bards alike are dull.
P. Whitehead.
Bread`root" (&?;), n. (Bot.) The root of a leguminous plant (Psoralea esculenta), found near the Rocky Mountains. It is usually oval in form, and abounds in farinaceous matter, affording sweet and palatable food.
It is the Pomme blanche of Canadian voyageurs.
Bread"stuff (&?;), n. Grain, flour, or meal of which bread is made.
Breadth (brdth), n. [OE. brede, breede, whence later bredette, AS. brdu, fr. brd broad. See Broad, a.]
1. Distance from side to side of any surface or thing; measure across, or at right angles to the length; width.
2. (Fine Arts) The quality of having the colors and shadows broad and massive, and the arrangement of objects such as to avoid to great multiplicity of details, producing an impression of largeness and simple grandeur; -- called also breadth of effect.
Breadth of coloring is a prominent character in the painting of all great masters.
Weale.
Breadth"less, a. Without breadth.
Breadth"ways (-wz), ads. Breadthwise. Whewell.
Breadth"wise (-wz), ads. In the direction of the breadth.
Bread"win`ner (brd"wn`nr), n. The member of a family whose labor supplies the food of the family; one who works for his living. H. Spencer.
Break (brk), v. t. [imp. broke (brk), (Obs. Brake); p. p. Broken (br"k'n), (Obs. Broke); p. pr. & vb. n. Breaking.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak, Sw. braka, bräkka to crack, Dan. brække to break, Goth. brikan to break, L. frangere. Cf. Bray to pound, Breach, Fragile.] 1. To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. Shak.