brake Hear it!

brake1 definition

brake (brāk)

noun

any of a genus (Pteris) of coarse tropical ferns (family Polypodiaceae) used commonly as a houseplant

Etymology: ME; prob. taken as sing. of bracken

brake2 definition

brake (brāk)

noun

  1. a toothed implement for beating or crushing flax or hemp so that the fiber can be separated
  2. a heavy harrow for breaking up clods of earth
  3. a handle or lever on a machine a pump brake
  4. a machine for turning or bending the edges of sheet metal
    1. any device for slowing or stopping the motion of a vehicle or machine, as by causing a block, shoe, or band to press against a moving part
    2. anything that slows down or stops motion or progress
  6. Obsolete the rack, former instrument of torture

Etymology: ME < MLowG brake or ODu braeke, flax brake < breken, to break; senses 2-6 variously infl. by OFr brac (form of bras, an arm) & break

transitive verb braked, braking brak′·ing

  1. to break up (flax, clods of earth, etc.) into smaller pieces
  2. to slow down or stop with or as with a brake

intransitive verb

  1. ☆ to operate a brake or brakes
  2. to be slowed down or stopped by a brake

Related Forms:

brake3 definition

brake (brāk)

noun

a clump or area of brushwood, briers, etc.; thicket

Etymology: < or akin to MLowG brake, stumps, broken branches, akin to OE brecan, to break

brake4 definition

brake (brāk)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

break

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