bread

[ bred ]

noun

1. a kind of food made of flour or meal that has been mixed with milk or water, made into a dough or batter, with or without yeast or other leavening agent, and baked.
2. food or sustenance; livelihood:

   to earn one's bread.

3. Slang. money.
4. Ecclesiastical. the wafer or bread used in a Eucharistic service.

verb (used with object)

1. Cooking. to cover with breadcrumbs or meal.

bread

/ brɛd /

noun

1. a food made from a dough of flour or meal mixed with water or milk, usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
2. necessary food; nourishment

   give us our daily bread

3. a slang word for money
4. Christianity a small loaf, piece of bread, or wafer of unleavened bread used in the Eucharist
5. bread and circuses
   something offered as a means of distracting attention from a problem or grievance
6. break bread
   See break
7. cast one's bread upon the waters
   to do good without expectation of advantage or return
8. to know which side one's bread is buttered
   to know what to do in order to keep one's advantages
9. take the bread out of someone's mouth
   to deprive someone of a livelihood

verb

1. tr to cover with breadcrumbs before cooking

   breaded veal

Other Words From

• breadless adjective
• breadless·ness noun
• un·breaded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bread¹

before 950; 1950–55 bread fordef 3; Middle English breed, Old English brēad fragment, morsel, bread; cognate with German Brot

Word History and Origins

Origin of bread¹

Old English brēad ; related to Old Norse braud , Old Frisian brād , Old High German brōt

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. break bread,
   1. to eat a meal, especially in companionable association with others.
   2. to distribute or participate in Communion.
2. cast one's bread upon the waters, to act generously or charitably with no thought of personal gain.
3. know which side one's bread is buttered on, to be aware of those things that are to one's own advantage.
4. take the bread out of someone's mouth, to deprive someone of livelihood.

More idioms and phrases containing bread

• break bread
• greatest thing since sliced bread
• know which side of bread is buttered
• take the bread out of someone's mouth

Example Sentences

For the sake of efficiency, drinks can be preordered and extra bread might accompany the steamed mussels, says Daniel Pimentel, the hotel’s general manager.

From Washington Post

The manual high-lift levers let you raise even the smallest pieces of bread up above the toaster’s top, so you don’t burn your fingers when you remove it.

From Popular-Science

In fact, it tastes better smashed a bit, because the jam marinates the bread.

From Outside Online

Yesterday, while buying bread at my favorite local restaurant-turned-grocer, I asked the owner if she had any fun weekend plans, kind of a dark joke at this point since few of us really do anything.

From Eater

“I also hiccup if I eat bread without drinking something,” wrote Vera.

From Washington Post

The tasteless bread was transformed into a sweet cake that included ingredients, such as dried fruit and marzipan.

From The Daily Beast

Against this backdrop, Paul breaking bread with Sharpton may be too much for Republican primary voters to watch or stomach.

From The Daily Beast

“Ovens using gas cylinders were set up to make bread under bridges, and nursing stations appeared, offering medicines,” he writes.

From The Daily Beast

For example, Kuwait recently put a limit the allowable amount of sodium in bread to lower blood pressure.

From The Daily Beast

“I knew Boyfriend would never really have its chance unless it became my bread-and-butter,” she says.

From The Daily Beast

I tell you, madam, most distinctly and emphatically, that it is bread pudding and the meanest kind at that.'

From Project Gutenberg

In Tiefurt we partook of a magnificent collation consisting of a mug of beer, brown bread and sausage!

From Project Gutenberg

Newhall Street, and a new thoroughfare made in continuation of Bread Street.

From Project Gutenberg

Death comes in, the bread at the feast turns black, the hound falls down—and so on.

From Project Gutenberg

He watched the man put some bread and milk in a tin pan, and set it down on the floor of the basket.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cabbage
• dough