Chapter Bread to Brevet Rank of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bread to Brevet Rank

Bread To break bread. To partake of food. Common in Scripture language. Breaking of bread. The Eucharist.

“They continued ... in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”- Acts ii. 42; and again verse 46.

Bread He took bread and salt, i.e. he took his oath. Bread and salt were formerly eaten when an oath was taken.
   Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days (Eccles. xi. 1). When the Nile overflows its banks the weeds perish and the soil is disintegrated. The rice-seed being cast into the water takes root, and is found in due time growing in healthful vigour.
   Don't quarrel with your bread and butter. Don't foolishly give up the pursuit by which you earn your living.
   To know which side one's bread is buttered. To be mindful of one's own interest.
   To take the bread out of one's mouth. To forestall another; to say something which another was on the point of saying; to take away another's livelihood. (See under Butter.)

Bread-basket (One's ). The stomach.

Bread and Cheese The barest necessities of life.

Break (To ). To become a bankrupt. (See Bankrupt. )
   To break a bond. To dishonour it.
   To break a journey. To stop before the journey is accomplished.
   To break a matter to a person. To be the first to impart it, and to do so cautiously and by piecemeal.
   To break bread. To partake of the Lord's Supper.

“Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them.”- Acts xx. 7.

   To break one's fast. To take food after long abstinence; to eat one's breakfast after the night's fast.
   To break one's neck. To dislocate the bones of one's neck.
   To break on the wheel. To torture one on a “wheel” by breaking the long bones with an iron bar. (Cf. COUP DE GRÂCE.)
   To break a butterfly on a wheel. To employ superabundant effort in the accomplishment of a small matter.

“Satire or sense, alas! can Sporus feel,
Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel.”
Pope: Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, 307-8.

   To break out of bounds. To go beyond the prescribed limits.

Break Cover (To ). To start forth from a hiding-place.

Break Down (To ). To lose all control of one's feelings.

Break Faith (To ). To violate one's word or pledge.

Break Ground (To ). To commence a new project. As a settler does.

Break In (To ). To interpose a remark. To train a horse to the saddle or to harness.

Break of Day Day-break.

“`At break of day I will come to thee again.”
   Wordsworth: Pet Lamb, stanza 15.

Break the Ice (To ). To prepare the way; to cause the stiffness and reserve of intercourse with a stranger to relax; to impart to another bit by bit distressing news or a delicate subject.

Break your Back (To ). Make you bankrupt. The metaphor is from carrying burdens on the back.

Break up Housekeeping (To ). To discontinue keeping a separate house.

Break with One (To ). To cease from intercourse.

“What cause have I given him to break with me?”- Florence Marryat.