Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   breach

   /briːtʃ/

   noun

   • 1. an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct: "a breach of confidence" Similar contraventionviolationbreakingnon-observanceinfringementtransgressionneglectderelictionfailure to observenon-compliance withinfractiondelict
   • ▪ a break in relations: "a widening breach between government and Church" Similar riftgulfchasmdivisiondifferenceschismdisunionestrangementalienationdiscorddissensiondisaffectionseparationsplitbreakbreak-uppartingparting of the waysseverancerupturequarrelfalling-outinformal:bust-uprare:scission
   • 2. a gap in a wall, barrier, or defence, especially one made by an attacking army: "a breach in the mountain wall" Similar breakrupturesplitcrackfracturerentriftopeninggapholefissurecleftaperture

   verb

   • 1. make a gap in and break through (a wall, barrier, or defence): "the river breached its bank" Similar break (through)burst (through)ruptureforce itself throughsplitinformal:bust
   • ▪ break or fail to observe (a law, agreement, or code of conduct): "these outside bodies are bootlegging albums and breaching copyright" Similar breakcontraveneviolatefail to comply withinfringetransgress againstdefydisobeyfloutfly in the face ofinfract
   • 2. (of a whale) rise and break through the surface of the water: "we saw whales breaching in the distance"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French breche, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to break1.

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • B

     3

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • H

     4

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points