Breeches buoy

Breeches buoy
Breeches Breech"es (br[i^]ch"[e^]z), n. pl. [OE. brech, brek, AS. br[=e]k, pl. of br[=o]c breech, breeches; akin to Icel. br[=o]k breeches, ODan. brog, D. broek, G. bruch; cf. L. bracae, braccae, which is of Celtic origin. Cf. {Brail}.] 1. A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes. [1913 Webster]

His jacket was red, and his breeches were blue. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]

2. Trousers; pantaloons. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

{Breeches buoy}, in the life-saving service, a pair of canvas breeches depending from an annular or beltlike life buoy which is usually of cork. This contrivance, inclosing the person to be rescued, is hung by short ropes from a block which runs upon the hawser stretched from the ship to the shore, and is drawn to land by hauling lines.

{Breeches pipe}, a forked pipe forming two branches united at one end.

{Knee breeches}, breeches coming to the knee, and buckled or fastened there; smallclothes.

{To wear the breeches}, to usurp the authority of the husband; -- said of a wife. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Breeches buoy — Buoy Buoy (bwoi or boi; 277), n. [D. boei buoy, fetter, fr. OF. boie, buie, chain, fetter, F. bou[ e]e a buoy, from L. boia. Boiae genus vinculorum tam ferreae quam ligneae. Festus. So called because chained to its place.] (Naut.) A float; esp. a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • breeches buoy — [brich′iz] n. a device for rescuing people at sea, consisting of a piece of strong canvas with leg holes suspended from a life preserver that is run along a rope from ship to shore or to another ship …   English World dictionary

  • Breeches buoy — A breeches buoy is a crude rope based rescue device used to extract people from wrecked vessels, or to transfer people from one location to another in situations of danger. The device resembles a round emergency personal flotation device with a… …   Wikipedia

  • breeches buoy — noun a life buoy in the form of a ring with short breeches for support; used to transfer people from a ship • Hypernyms: ↑life buoy, ↑lifesaver, ↑life belt, ↑life ring …   Useful english dictionary

  • breeches buoy — noun Date: 1880 a canvas seat in the form of breeches hung from a life buoy running on a hawser and used to haul persons from one ship to another or from ship to shore especially in rescue operations …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • breeches buoy — Naut. a rescue device consisting of a life buoy from which is suspended a canvas sling, similar in form to a pair of breeches, in which shipwrecked or disabled persons are hauled from a vessel to the shore or to another vessel by means of a rope… …   Universalium

  • breeches buoy — noun a ring lifebuoy, fitted with canvas breeches, rigged between ship and shore, for rescuing seamen when a ship is in danger of breaking up; also used for transferring people from ship to ship at sea Also colloqually called: britches buoy or… …   Wiktionary

  • breeches-buoy — breechˈes buoy noun A life saving apparatus enclosing the person like a pair of breeches • • • Main Entry: ↑breech …   Useful english dictionary

  • breeches buoy — noun a lifebuoy on a rope with a canvas support resembling a pair of breeches, by means of which a person may be transferred from a ship …   English new terms dictionary

  • breeches buoy — /ˈbrɪtʃəz bɔɪ/ (say brichuhz boy) noun a life saving apparatus, like a short pair of breeches, moving on a rope stretched from a wreck to the shore or another ship …  

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