broach

Definitions

1. 1.An awl; a bodkin; also, a wooden rod or pin, sharpened at each end, used by thatchers. [Prov. Eng.] Forby.
2. 2.(Mech.) (a) A tool of steel, generally tapering, and of a polygonal form, with from four to eight cutting edges, for smoothing or enlarging holes in metal; sometimes made smooth or without edges, as for burnishing pivot holes in watches; a reamer. The broach for gun barrels is commonly square and without taper. (b) A straight tool with file teeth, made of steel, to be pressed through irregular holes in metal that cannot be dressed by revolving tools; a drift.
3. 3.(Masonry) A broad chisel for stonecutting.
4. 4.(Arch.) A spire rising from a tower. [Local, Eng.]
5. 5.A clasp for fastening a garment. See Brooch.
6. 6.A spitlike start, on the head of a young stag.
7. 7.The stick from which candle wicks are suspended for dipping. Knight.
8. 8.The pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key.
9. 9.To spit; to pierce as with a spit. I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point. Shak.
10. 10.To tap; to pierce, as a cask, in order to draw the liquor. Hence: To let out; to shed, as blood. Whereat with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast. Shak.
11. 11.To open for the first time, as stores. You shall want neither weapons, victuals, nor aid; I will open the old armories, I will broach my store, and will bring forth my stores. Knolles.
12. 12.To make public; to utter; to publish first; to put forth; to introduce as a topic of conversation. Those very opinions themselves had broached. Swift.
13. 13.To cause to begin or break out. [Obs.] Shak.
14. 14.(Masonry) To shape roughly, as a block of stone, by chiseling with a coarse tool. [Scot. & North of Eng.]
15. 15.To enlarge or dress (a hole), by using a broach. To broach to (Naut.), to incline suddenly to windward, so as to lay the sails aback, and expose the vessel to the danger of oversetting.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "broach" mean?
• What is another word for "broach"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is broach.

• What is an awl; a bodkin; also, a wooden rod or pin, sharpened at each end, used by thatchers. [Prov. Eng.] Forby called?
• What is a broad chisel for stonecutting called?
• What is a spire rising from a tower. [Local, Eng.] called?
• What is a clasp for fastening a garment. See Brooch called?
• What is a spitlike start, on the head of a young stag called?
• What is the stick from which candle wicks are suspended for dipping. Knight called?
• What is the pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key called?
• What is to spit; to pierce as with a spit. I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point. Shak called?
• What is to tap; to pierce, as a cask, in order to draw the liquor. Hence: To let out; to shed, as blood. Whereat with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast. Shak called?
• What is to open for the first time, as stores. You shall want neither weapons, victuals, nor aid; I will open the old armories, I will broach my store, and will bring forth my stores. Knolles called?
• What is to make public; to utter; to publish first; to put forth; to introduce as a topic of conversation. Those very opinions themselves had broached. Swift called?
• What is to cause to begin or break out. [Obs.] Shak called?
• What is to shape roughly, as a block of stone, by chiseling with a coarse tool. [Scot. & North of Eng.] called?
• What is to enlarge or dress (a hole), by using a broach. To broach to (Naut.), to incline suddenly to windward, so as to lay the sails aback, and expose the vessel to the danger of oversetting called?