adv. [ Pref. a- + breast. ] 1. Side by side, with breasts in a line; as, “Two men could hardly walk abreast.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) Side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam; -- with of. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Up to a certain level or line; equally advanced; as, to keep abreast of [ or with ] the present state of science. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. At the same time; simultaneously. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Abreast therewith began a convocation. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Ambergris. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. arch- + treasurer. ] A chief treasurer. Specifically, the great treasurer of the German empire. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. wearing no covering for the breasts or featuring such nudity. bare-breasted beauties parading along the beach"
Syn. -- braless, topless. [WordNet 1.5]

v. t. To soil or daub with grease or other oily matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A small European bird; the blue-throated warbler. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. boreas, Gr. &unr_;. ] The north wind; -- usually a personification. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. brest, breost, As. breóst; akin to Icel. brjōst, Sw. bröst, Dan. bryst, Goth. brusts, OS. briost, D. borst, G. brust. ] 1. The fore part of the body, between the neck and the belly; the chest; as, the breast of a man or of a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Either one of the protuberant glands, situated on the front of the chest or thorax in the female of man and of some other mammalia, in which milk is secreted for the nourishment of the young; a mamma; a teat. [ 1913 Webster ]

My brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother. Cant. viii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Anything resembling the human breast, or bosom; the front or forward part of anything; as, a chimney breast; a plow breast; the breast of a hill. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mountains on whose barren breast
The laboring clouds do often rest. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mining) (a) The face of a coal working. (b) The front of a furnace. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The seat of consciousness; the repository of thought and self-consciousness, or of secrets; the seat of the affections and passions; the heart. [ 1913 Webster ]

He has a loyal breast. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. The power of singing; a musical voice; -- so called, probably, from the connection of the voice with the lungs, which lie within the breast. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Breast drill, a portable drilling machine, provided with a breastplate, for forcing the drill against the work. --
Breast pang. See Angina pectoris, under Angina. --
To make a clean breast, to disclose the secrets which weigh upon one; to make full confession. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Breasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Breasting. ] To meet, with the breast; to struggle with or oppose manfully; as, to breast the storm or waves. [ 1913 Webster ]

The court breasted the popular current by sustaining the demurrer. Wirt. [ 1913 Webster ]

To breast up a hedge, to cut the face of it on one side so as to lay bare the principal upright stems of the plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. (Arch.) A torus. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A band for the breast. Specifically: (Naut.) A band of canvas, or a rope, fastened at both ends to the rigging, to support the man who heaves the lead in sounding. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mach.) The front transverse beam of a locomotive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The bone of the breast; the sternum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Deep as from the breast to the feet; as high as the breast. [ 1913 Webster ]

Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a breast; -- used in composition with qualifying words, in either a literal or a metaphorical sense; as, a single-breasted coat. [ 1913 Webster ]

The close minister is buttoned up, and the brave officer open-breasted, on these occasions. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A large rope to fasten the midship part of a ship to a wharf, or to another vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The interior slope of a fortification, against which the garrison lean in firing. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. High as the breast. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A thick piece of timber in the form of a knee, placed across the stem of a ship to strengthen the fore part and unite the bows on each side. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mach.) The curved channel in which a breast wheel turns. It is closely adapted to the curve of the wheel through about a quarter of its circumference, and prevents the escape of the water until it has spent its force upon the wheel. See Breast wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A knot of ribbons worn on the breast. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A pin worn on the breast for a fastening, or for ornament; a brooch. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A plate of metal covering the breast as defensive armor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Before his old rusty breastplate could be scoured, and his cracked headpiece mended. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece against which the workman presses his breast in operating a breast drill, or other similar tool. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A strap that runs across a horse's breast. Ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Jewish Antiq.) A part of the vestment of the high priest, worn upon the front of the ephod. It was a double piece of richly embroidered stuff, a span square, set with twelve precious stones, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. See Ephod. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. A kind of plow, driven by the breast of the workman; -- used to cut or pare turf. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The upper rail of any parapet of ordinary height, as of a balcony; the railing of a quarter-deck, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Breastband. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) A summer or girder extending across a building flush with, and supporting, the upper part of a front or external wall; a long lintel; a girder; -- used principally above shop windows. [ Written also brestsummer and bressummer. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A water wheel, on which the stream of water strikes neither so high as in the overshot wheel, nor so low as in the undershot, but generally at about half the height of the wheel, being kept in contact with it by the breasting. The water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Fort.) A defensive work of moderate height, hastily thrown up, of earth or other material. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) A railing on the quarter-deck and forecastle. [ 1913 Webster ]

. Abscess of the mammary gland. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Having a narrow, projecting chest, caused by forward curvature of the vertebral column. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) The horizontal projection of a chimney from the wall in which it is built; -- commonly applied to its projection in the inside of a building only. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Creese. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. LG. krus, G. krause, crispness, krausen, kräusen, to crisp, curl, lay on folds; or perh. of Celtic origin; cf. Armor. kriz a wrinkle, crease, kriza to wrinkle, fold, W. crych a wrinkle, crychu to rumple, ripple, crease. ] 1. A line or mark made by folding or doubling any pliable substance; hence, a similar mark, however produced. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Cricket) One of the lines serving to define the limits of the bowler and the striker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Lacrosse) The combination of four lines forming a rectangle inclosing either goal, or the inclosed space itself, within which no attacking player is allowed unless the ball is there; -- called also goal crease. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Bowling crease (Cricket), a line extending three feet four inches on each side of the central strings at right angles to the line between the wickets. --
Return crease (Cricket), a short line at each end of the bowling crease and at right angles to it, extending toward the bowler. --
Popping crease (Cricket), , a line drawn in front of the wicket, four feet distant from it, parallel to the bowling crease and at least as long as the latter. J. H. Walsh (Encyc. of Rural Sports). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Creased p. pr. & vb. n. Creasing. ] To make a crease or mark in, as by folding or doubling. [ 1913 Webster ]

Creased, like dog's ears in a folio. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A tool, or a sewing-machine attachment, for making lines or creases on leather or cloth, as guides to sew by. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A tool for making creases or beads, as in sheet iron, or for rounding small tubes. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bookbinding) A tool for making the band impression distinct on the back. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) A layer of tiles forming a corona for a wall. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Creosote. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of creases. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Decreased p. pr. & vb. n. Decreasing. ] [ OE. decrecen, fr. OF. decreistre, F. décroître, or from the OF. noun (see Decrease, n.), fr. L. decrescere to grow less; de + crescere to grow. See Crescent, and cf. Increase. ] To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December. [ 1913 Webster ]

He must increase, but I must decrease. John iii. 30.

Syn. -- To Decrease, Diminish. Things usually decrease or fall off by degrees, and from within, or through some cause which is imperceptible; as, the flood decreases; the cold decreases; their affection has decreased. Things commonly diminish by an influence from without, or one which is apparent; as, the army was diminished by disease; his property is diminishing through extravagance; their affection has diminished since their separation their separation. The turn of thought, however, is often such that these words may be interchanged. [ 1913 Webster ]

The olive leaf, which certainly them told
The flood decreased. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye;
Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means. [ 1913 Webster ]

That might decrease their present store. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. decrees, OF. decreis, fr. decreistre. See Decrease, v. ] 1. A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The wane of the moon. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. made less in size or amount or degree. Opposite of increased. [ Narrower terms: attenuate, attenuated, faded, weakened; belittled, diminished, small; cut, cut-rate; diminished, lessened; minimized; remittent; attenuated ]
Syn. -- reduced. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Suffering no decrease. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It [ the river ] flows and flows, and yet will flow,
Volume decreaseless to the final hour. A. Seward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Becoming less and less; diminishing. -- De*creas"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

Decreasing series (Math.), a series in which each term is numerically smaller than the preceding term. [1913 Webster]

v. t. To remove grease or fatty matter from, as wool or silk. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Folding or lapping over on the breast, with a row of buttons and buttonholes on each side; as, a double-breasted coat. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. See Increase. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. grese, grece, F. graisse; akin to gras fat, greasy, fr. LL. grassus thick, fat, gross, L. crassus. Cf. Crass. ] 1. Animal fat, as tallow or lard, especially when in a soft state; oily or unctuous matter of any kind. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Far.) An inflammation of a horse's heels, suspending the ordinary greasy secretion of the part, and producing dryness and scurfiness, followed by cracks, ulceration, and fungous excrescences. [ 1913 Webster ]

Grease bush. (Bot.) Same as Grease wood (below). --
Grease moth (Zool.), a pyralid moth (Aglossa pinguinalis) whose larva eats greasy cloth, etc. --
Grease wood (Bot.), a scraggy, stunted, and somewhat prickly shrub (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) of the Spinach family, very abundant in alkaline valleys from the upper Missouri to California. The name is also applied to other plants of the same family, as several species of Atriplex and Obione. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Greased p. pr. & vb. n. Greasing. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To smear, anoint, or daub, with grease or fat; to lubricate; as, to grease the wheels of a wagon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bribe; to corrupt with presents. [ 1913 Webster ]

The greased advocate that grinds the poor. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cheat or cozen; to overreach. [ Obs. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Far.) To affect (a horse) with grease, the disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

To grease in the hand,
To grease the hand, to corrupt by bribes. Usher. [ 1913 Webster ]