• enPR: brĕst, IPA: /bɹɛst/

breast (plural breasts)

1. (anatomy) Either of the two organs on the front of a female human's chest, which contain the mammary glands; also the analogous organs in males.

   Tanya's breasts grew remarkably during pregnancy.

2. (anatomy) The chest, or front of the human thorax.
   • 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:

     The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, / For he heard the loud bassoon.

3. A section of clothing covering the breast area.
4. The figurative seat of the emotions, feelings etc.; one's heart or innermost thoughts.

   She kindled hope in the breast of all who heard her.

   • 1613, William Shakespeare; [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     He has a loyal breast.

   • circa 1610-11 William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act I scene ii:

     […] Thou best know'st

     What torment I did find thee in. Thy groans

     Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts

     Of ever-angry bears— it was a torment

     To lay upon the damn'd, which Sycorax

     Could not again undo. It was mine art,

     When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape

     The pine and let thee out.

5. The ventral portion of an animal's thorax.

   The robin has a red breast.

6. A choice cut of poultry, especially chicken or turkey, taken from the bird’s breast; also a cut of meat from other animals, breast of mutton, veal, pork.

   Would you like breast or wing?

7. The front or forward part of anything.

   a chimney breast; a plough breast

   • 1645, John Milton, L'Allegro

     Mountains on whose barren breast / The labouring clouds do often rest.

8. (mining) The face of a coal working.
9. (mining) The front of a furnace.
10. (obsolete) The power of singing; a musical voice.
    • circa 1601 William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act II scene iii:

      By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast.

• (female organs) See also Thesaurus:breasts
• (chest) chest
• (seat of emotions) heart, soul
• (cut of poultry) white meat
• (cut of meat) brisket

• (cut of poultry) thigh, wing, dark meat

• French: sein, poitrine
• German: Brust
• Italian: seno, mammella
• Portuguese: seio, peito, mama, maminha
• Russian: грудь
• Spanish: pecho, seno, teta

• French: poitrine
• German: Brust
• Italian: petto
• Portuguese: peito, peitos
• Russian: грудь
• Spanish: pecho

• Russian: грудь

• French: poitrine, cœur
• German: Brust
• Portuguese: coração
• Russian: се́рдце
• Spanish: corazón

• French: poitrine, poitrail
• Portuguese: peito
• Russian: грудь
• Spanish: pechuga

• French: blanc
• German: -brust, Entenbrust qual duck, Fasanenbrust qual pheasant, Gänsebrust qual goose, Geflügelbrust qual chicken, Hühnchenbrust qual chicken, Hähnchenbrust qual chicken, Hammelbrust qual sheep, Schweinsbrust qual pork
• Italian: petto
• Portuguese: peito
• Russian: гру́дка
• Spanish: pechuga

breast (breasts, present participle breasting; past and past participle breasted)

1. (transitive, often, figurative) To push against with the breast; to meet full on, oppose, face.

   He breasted the hill and saw the town before him.

2. (transitive, cooking) To debreast.
   • 2005, Texas Judicial Cookbook: Hello There!

     Breast the birds; wash and dry well. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the birds in a roasting pan.