breeches
English
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Breeches_%28PSF%29.jpg/220px-Breeches_%28PSF%29.jpg)
Alternative forms
- britches (Appalachia, Southern US)
Etymology
From Middle English breches pl (also brechen), a variant of Middle English breche, brech, brek (“breeches”), from Old English brēċ (“breeches”), from Proto-Germanic *brōkiz pl (nom.acc.), from Proto-Germanic *brōks (“trousers”); akin to Old Norse brók (“breeches”), Danish brog, Dutch broek, German Bruch f; compare Latin bracae ( > French braies) which is of Celtic origin. Compare brail.
Pronunciation
Noun
breeches
- plural of breech
- A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes.
- 1829, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, "The Devil's Thoughts,"
- And how then was the Devil drest?
- Oh! he was in his Sunday's best:
- His jacket was red and his breeches were blue,
- And there was a hole where the tail came through.
- 1829, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, "The Devil's Thoughts,"
- (informal) Trousers; pantaloons.
Derived terms
- breeches buoy
- breeches pipe: a forked pipe forming two branches united at one end
- knee-breeches
- open-kneed breeches
- wear the breeches: see wear the pants, wear the trousers
- too big for one's britches
Translations
a garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs
|
See also
Further reading
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɪtʃɪz
- Rhymes:English/iːtʃɪz
- English non-lemma forms
- English noun forms
- English informal terms
- English 3-syllable words
- English plurals ending in "-es"
- en:Clothing