breeching

[ brich-ing, bree-ching ]

noun

1. the part of a harness that passes around the haunches of a horse.
2. a smoke pipe connecting one or more boilers with a chimney.
3. Navy. (formerly) a strong rope fastened to a ship's side for securing a gun or checking its recoil.

breeching

/ ˈbriː-; ˈbrɪtʃɪŋ /

noun

1. the strap of a harness that passes behind a horse's haunches
2. navy (formerly) the rope used to check the recoil run of a ship's guns or to secure them against rough weather
3. the parts comprising the breech of a gun

Word History and Origins

Origin of breeching¹

First recorded in 1505–15; breech + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Mr Stoppard praised zoology student Ben Hancock-Smith for capturing a photo of the whale breeching.

From BBC

The idyllic views of the Pacific, and of the occasional humpback whale breeching below, make it seem like any other year at Kapalua.

From Seattle Times

Nancy Pelosi is an extremely effective politician, so it’s a bit surprising that some people were so surprised at her authoritative response to the breeching of the Capitol on Jan. 6, footage of which was televised for the first time at a Jan. 6 committee hearing on Thursday.

From Slate

But by the time they got there, the Proud Boys were leading the way, breeching the barriers and setting a tone of violence and mayhem that many other people in that crowd emulated.

From Salon

Quinn is the only guest that enjoys something like a transcendent private moment: a nighttime vision of a whale breeching in the ocean.

From Slate