1. (v.) imp. of Break.

2. (n.) A fern of the genus Pteris, esp. the P. aquilina, common in almost all countries. It has solitary stems dividing into three principal branches. Less properly: Any fern.

3. (n.) A thicket; a place overgrown with shrubs and brambles, with undergrowth and ferns, or with canes.

4. (n.) An instrument or machine to break or bruise the woody part of flax or hemp so that it may be separated from the fiber.

5. (n.) An extended handle by means of which a number of men can unite in working a pump, as in a fire engine.

6. (n.) A baker's kneading though.

7. (n.) A sharp bit or snaffle.

8. (n.) A frame for confining a refractory horse while the smith is shoeing him; also, an enclosure to restrain cattle, horses, etc.

9. (v. t.) That part of a carriage, as of a movable battery, or engine, which enables it to turn.

10. (n.) An ancient engine of war analogous to the crossbow and ballista.

11. (n.) A large, heavy harrow for breaking clods after plowing; a drag.

12. (n.) A piece of mechanism for retarding or stopping motion by friction, as of a carriage or railway car, by the pressure of rubbers against the wheels, or of clogs or ratchets against the track or roadway, or of a pivoted lever against a wheel or drum in a machine.

13. (n.) An apparatus for testing the power of a steam engine, or other motor, by weighing the amount of friction that the motor will overcome; a friction brake.

14. (n.) A cart or carriage without a body, used in breaking in horses.

15. (n.) An ancient instrument of torture.

16. (p. p.) of Break

arrest backpedal backwater bar bearing rein bit block boscage bosket bring to bring up short canebrake ceja chain chamisal chaparral check checkmate checkrein chock clip the wings clog constraint control coppice copse copsewood countercheck covert curb curb bit cut short dam damper deadlock decelerate delay detain doorstop drag drag sail draw rein drift anchor drift sail drogue ease off ease up fetter freeze frith halt hold back hold in check hold up holdback impede keep back let down let up lose ground lose momentum lose speed martingale moderate motte obstruct pelham pull up put paid to reef rein rein in relax remora restraint restriction retard scotch sea anchor set back shackle slack off slack up slacken slow slow down slow up snaffle spoke stalemate stall stay stem stem the tide stop stop cold stop dead stop short stymie take in sail thicket thickset throttle down trammel