brent-goose 
676 
bretesse (bre-tes'), n. [OF. bretesse, F. breteche, 
(wtor/iCithebattlementsofawall, etc.: seebret- 
tice, brattice, the reg. E. form of the word.] In 
medieval fort. : (a) A tower of timber of several 
stories, crenelated, loopholed, and fitted with 
other contemporary devices for offense and de- 
fense. It differed from the belfry in that it was 
fixed instead of movable, (b) A construction of 
timber, of a more or less temporary character, 
projecting from a wall, etc., especially over a 
gateway or a passage, which by its aid could 
Brent-goose (Bernicla brenta*. 
in the autumn. There are several varieties. Also called 
brant-fiooite and brand-goose. 
brenthian (bren'thi-an), n. and a. [< BrentJnu 
+ -ian.] I. . A beetle of the genus Brenthus. 
II. a. Of or pertaining to the genus Brenthus. 
brenthid (bren'thid), . A beetle of the fam- 
ily lirenthidai. 
Brenthidse (bren'thi-de), n. pi. [NL., < Bren- 
thus + -idai.] A family of rhynchophorous co- 
leopterous insects, related to the Ctirculionida. 
They are of an elongate form, and have long snouts and 
moniliform antennce. The genera are numerous. 
Brenthus (bren'thus), n. [NL., < Or. fl 
an unknown water-bird ; also, with var. fi 
applied to a singing bird.] 1 . A genus of snout- 
beetles, remarkable for the excessive length 
and narrowness of the body. The beak in the fe- 
male is long and filiform ; in the male, short, with the man- 
dibles at the tip much more developed and of exceptional 
form. The numerous species, mostly tropical, constitute 
now a distinct family of rhyuchophorous beetles, and 
Northern Brenthian, ftrentfms (Eupsalis) minutus. 
the genus Brenthus has been separated into numerous 
genera. Only one species, Brenthus (Eupxalix) minntm 
(Drury), inhabits the eastern portion of the United States. 
The larva bores into the hard wood of oak-trees, usually 
after these have been felled. The males are very pugna- 
cious. Also Brentus. 
2. A genus of geese, proposed by Sundevall in 
1873 to replace Brnntn. [Not in use.] 
brent-new (brent'nu), a. A Scotch form of 
brand-new. 
Cotillon brent-new frae France. Burns, Tarn o' Shanter. 
Brentus (bren'tus), n. Sameas-BrenWiw*, 1. 
brequet-chain (bre-ket'chan), n. [Said to be 
named after a celebrated French watchmaker 
named Briguet, but influenced by F. briquet, a 
little chain.] A short watch-guard or chain 
to which the watch-key is sometimes attached ; 
a fob-chain. 
brere, . See breeri. 
br6sillet (bra-ze-la'), n. [F., brazil : see brazil.] 
Same as braziletto. 
bressomer, bressummer (bres'om-er, -um-er), 
. Corruptions of brest-summer". 
brest 1 (brest), . If. An obsolete spelling of 
breast. 2. In arch., a torus. [Rare or obso- 
lete.] 
brest^t (brest), v. and n. An obsolete variant 
of burst. ' 
brest-summer, breast-summer (brest 'sum"- 
er), . In arch., a summer or beam placed 
horizontally to support an upper wall or parti- 
tion, as the beam over a shop-window ; a lintel. 
Corruptly written bressomer, bressummer. 
bret (bret), n. [E. dial., var. of birt, burt; origin 
unknown. Cf. brift.] A local English name (in 
Cornwall) of the brill, and also of the turbot. 
Bretesses. 
( From Viollet-le-Duc's "Diet, de 1* Architecture.") 
be more readily commanded by the garrison 
through machicolations, etc. Such bretesses are 
distinguished from hoarding in that the latter forms a con- 
tinuous gallery crowning a wall or a tower, while the for- 
mer are isolated on three sides. 
bretesse (bre-te-sa'), a. [Pp. of OF. *bretesser, 
bretesclier, provide with battlements, < bretesse, 
brctesehe, etc. : see bretesse.] In lier., battled on 
both sides, the projections coming opposite each 
other: said of a bend, a fesse, or the like. Also 
spelled brettessf. 
bretessed (bre-tesf), a. In her., same as bre- 
tesse. 
bretexedt, a. [ME., also bretaged, pp., equiv. 
to bretessed.] Furnished with a bretesse. 
bretfult, a. [ME., also brerdful. < brerd (< AS. 
brerd, breord, top, brim: see braird) + -ful.] 
Brimful: as, "bretf-ul of pardouns," Chaucer, 
Gen. Prol. to C. T., 1. 687. 
brethelt, . A variant of brothel^. 
bretherhedet, . An old form of brotherhood. 
Chaucer. 
brethren (bre5H'ren),n. Plural of brother. See 
phrases under brother. 
bretiset, Same as bretesse. 
Breton (bret'on), a. and n. [F., a. and n. ; ult. 
same as Briton, q. v.] I. a. Relating to Brit- 
tany or Bretagne, a former province in north- 
western France, or to the language of its peo- 
ple. 
Here on the Breton strand ! 
Breton, not Briton. Tennyson, Maud, xxiv. 
II. n. 1. A native of Brittany. 2. The na- 
tive language of Brittany ; Armoric (which see). 
brett (bret), n. [Perhaps from the proper name 
Brett. ] A four-wheeled carriage having a calash 
top and seats for four besides the driver's seat. 
E. H. Knight. 
brettesse', . See bretesse'. 
brettice (bret'is), . Same as brattice. 
Bretwalda (bret'wol-da), n. [AS. Bretwalda, 
otherwise Bryten-, Breten-walda, -wealda, a title 
of uncertain meaning, occurring in the Anglo- 
Saxon Chronicle (A. D. 827) ; < Bret, otherwise 
Bryt, sing, of Brettas, Bryttas, Britons, or Bry- 
ten, Britain (but this is disputed), + -wealda (in 
comp.), a ruler, < wealdan, rule: see wield.] A 
title sometimes applied to an Anglo-Saxon king 
whose supremacy over some or all of the other 
kingdoms was acknowledged. The nature of 
this supremacy is unknown. 
It was to these exploits that Ceawlin owed that dignity 
of Bretwalda, which ^lle before him had gained by the 
destruction of Anderida 
C. Elton, Origins of Eng. Hist., p. 392. 
breunerite (broi'ner-It), n. [After Count Bren- 
ner of Austria.] A mineral consisting of the 
carbonates of magnesium and iron, whitish, 
and after exposure brownish, in color, it occurs 
usually in rhombohedral crystals, and is intermediate be- 
tween the rhombohedral carbonates of magnesium (mac- 
nesite) and iron (siderite). 
breviary 
breve (brev), n. [< It. breve = F. breve, f. (bref, 
m.), < L. brevis, short : see brief.] 1. In music : 
(a) The third variety of note used by medieval 
musicians, haying one half or one third the 
value or duration of a long note, or longa: its 
form was |=j . (6) In modern notation, the 
longest note used, having double the duration 
of a semibreve. Its form is either |{cj| or H . It 
occurs rarely, since the semibreve or whole note is com- 
monly regarded as the longest note necessary, and as the 
standard to which all other notes are to be referred. 
2f. Iii law, a writ; a brief. 3. In writing and 
printing, a mark (~) used to indicate that the 
vowel over which it is placed is short. 4f. In 
pros., a short syllable. 
Corrector of breves and longes. Hall, Rich. III., an. 3. 
5. [< F. bref, fern. breve,_ short; from their short 
tails.] A name sometimes given to the ant- 
thrushes of the family 1'ittida;. Also called 
brachyurc. See Brachynrits, 2. 
brevet, '' *. [< ME. breven (= MD. brieven = 
OHG. brieren = Icel. brefa), < ML. breviare, 
write down, narrate, prop, note in brief, < L. 
breris, brief, whence breve, E. brief, a writing, 
a brief: see brere, n., brief, n. and v., and bre- 
I'iate.] 1. To write down; describe. 
As hit is breued in the best boke of romaunce. 
Sir Oawayne and the Green Knight, 1. 2521. 
2. To enter in a book ; book; brief. 
The clerke of the cochyn shalle alle thyng breue. 
Boke of Curtanye, L 563. 
At conntyng stuarde schalle ben, 
Tylle alle be breuet of wax so grene, 
Wrytten in-to bokes, with-out let, 
That be-fore in tabuls hase ben sett. 
Babees Boole (E. E. T. S.), p. 316. 
3. To tell ; say. 
Breve us thi name. King Alisaunder, p. 78. 
brevet (bre-vef), n. and o. [< ME. brevet, a let- 
ter of indulgence, < OF. brierct, F. brevet (ML. 
brevetum), a commission, license, etc., lit. a 
short writing, dim. of OF. brief, F. bref, a writ- 
ing: see brief'.] I. n. If. A letter of authority ; 
a commission. 
I wol go fecche my box with my breuettes 
And a bnlle with bisshopes lettres. 
Piers Ploumum (B), v. 649. 
2. In the British and American armies, a com- 
mission to an officer which promotes him to a 
higher rank, without conferring a right to re- 
ceive corresponding advance in pay. in Great 
Britain it does not descend lower than the rank of captain, 
nor ascend higher than that of lieutenant-colonel, and con- 
fers the right to a corresponding advance in command. 
In the United states army it extends from the rank of first 
lieutenant to that of lieutenant-general, but gives no 
advanced command except by special assignment of the 
President. Brevets are conferred by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate for "gallant actions and meri- 
torious services." 
They give brevets to majors and captains to act as colo- 
nels in the army. Swift, Journal to Stella, Letter 61. 
3. A patent; a warrant; a license; a commis- 
sion ; an official diploma in writing, conferring 
some privilege or distinction. [French usages.] 
II. a. Assigned or conferred by brevet; ap- 
pointed by brevet. 
What is called brevet rank is given to officers of all 
branches of the army as a reward for brilliant and length- 
ened service ; and when such nominal rank has been heldfor 
a certain number of years, it is usually converted into sub- 
stantial rank. A. Fonblanque, Jr., How we are Governed. 
Brevet officer. See officer. 
brevet (bre-vef), v. t.; pret. and pp. brevetted, 
ppr. brevetiing. [< brevet, n.] To confer brevet 
rank upon. 
brevetcy (bre-vef si), n. [< brevet + -cy.] 
Brevet rank. [Bare.] 
brevextensor (brev -eks- ten 'sor), n. [NL., 
contr. of brevis extensor, short extensor.] A 
short extensor muscle. [Rare.] Brevextensor 
digitorum, the short extensor of the toes, a muscle lying 
upon the instep, lisually called extensor brevis digitorum. 
Co HP*. 
breviary (bre'vi-a-ri or brev'i-a-ri), n. ; pi. 
!< riuries (-riz). [ME. breviar; < L. breviarium, 
an abridgment (ML. specifically in def. 2), 
neut. of brcriarius, abridged, < breris, short: 
see brief.] If. An abridgment; a compend; 
an epitome. Holland. 2. In the Rom. Cath. 
Ch., a book containing the daily offices which 
all who are in major orders are bound to read. 
It consists of prayers or offices to be used at the canonical 
hours, and is an abridgment of the services of the early 
church, which from their great length were exhausting. 
It is made np largely of the Psalms, passnges of the Old 
and New Testaments and the fathers, hymns, anthems, 
etc., all in Latin, arranged for the various seasons and 
festivals of the church. A similar book, known as a /.ortt- 
foriuni or portaxi, wa^ in use in England before the Refor- 
mation. The Order for Morning and Evening Prayer in 
the English Book of Common Prayer is mainly a transla- 
tion and condensation from the breviary according to the 
use of Sarum. Besides the Roman breviary, which is in 
most common use, there are also others of various ar- 
