previous next

breach (1 is freq. and colours other uses, esp. 2)
1. gap in a fortification made by a battery H5 III. i. 1 “Once more unto the breach, dear friends.”
2. fissure or gap caused by breaking John IV. ii. 32 “patches set upon a little breach,” Ven. 1175; esp.= wound Troil. IV. v. 244 “the very breach whereout Hector's great spirit flew,” Ven. 1066.
3. violation, infraction Err. IV. i. 49 “ of promise,” H5 IV. i. 182, Ham. I. iv. 16 “a custom More honour'd in the breach,” Cym. III. iv. 27.
4. break-up of friendly relations, rupture H8 IV. i. 106, Lr. I. ii. 167 “nuptial breaches.”
5. “the of the sea,” the breakers or surf Tw.N. II. i. 23.
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (8 total)
  • Cross-references in text-specific dictionaries from this page (8):
    • William Shakespeare, King Lear, 1.2
    • William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, 1.4
    • William Shakespeare, King John, 4.2
    • William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors, 4.1
    • William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, 3.4
    • William Shakespeare, Henry V, 3.1
    • William Shakespeare, Henry V, 4.1
    • William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Or what you will, 2.1
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: