bream

(brēm)

noun pl. bream or breams

Origin: ME breme < OFr bresme < Frank *brahsima: for IE base see braid

transitive verb

Historical to clean (a ship's bottom) by applying heat and then scraping

Origin: < ? Du brem, furze (see bramble): burning furze was orig. used in process

See bream in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. bream bream or breams

Any of several European freshwater fishes of the genus Abramis, especially A. brama, having a flattened body and silvery scales.
A similar fish, especially:
a. Any one of various saltwater fishes in the family Sparidae, such as the porgy.
b. Any one of various freshwater sunfishes of the genus Lepomis and related genera, such as the bluegill.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English breme

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , of Germanic origin

transitive verb breamed, bream·ing, breams breams
Nautical

To clean (a wooden ship's hull) by applying heat to soften the pitch and then scraping.

Origin:

Origin: From Middle Dutch brem(e), furze, broom

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