The Collaborative International Dictionary
Peace \Peace\, n. [OE. pees, pais, OF. pais, paiz, pes, F. paix, L. pax, pacis, akin to pacere, paciscere, pacisci, to make an agreement, and prob. also pangere to fasten. Cf. Appease, Fair, a., Fay, v., Fang, Pacify, Pact, Pay to requite.] A state of quiet or tranquillity; freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose; specifically:
Exemption from, or cessation of, war with public enemies.
Public quiet, order, and contentment in obedience to law.
Exemption from, or subjection of, agitating passions; tranquillity of mind or conscience.
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Reconciliation; agreement after variance; harmony; concord. ``The eternal love and pees.'' --Chaucer. Note: Peace is sometimes used as an exclamation in commanding silence, quiet, or order. ``Peace! foolish woman.'' --Shak. At peace, in a state of peace. Breach of the peace. See under Breach. Justice of the peace. See under Justice. Peace of God. (Law)
A term used in wills, indictments, etc., as denoting a state of peace and good conduct.
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(Theol.) The peace of heart which is the gift of God. Peace offering.
(Jewish Antiq.) A voluntary offering to God in token of devout homage and of a sense of friendly communion with Him.
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A gift or service offered as satisfaction to an offended person.
Peace officer, a civil officer whose duty it is to preserve the public peace, to prevent riots, etc., as a sheriff or constable.
To hold one's peace, to be silent; to refrain from speaking.
To make one's peace with, to reconcile one with, to plead one's cause with, or to become reconciled with, another. ``I will make your peace with him.''
--Shak.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context legal English) The legal offense of engaging in public behavior which is violent, rowdy, or disruptive. 2 (context by extension English) Any public disturbance or disorderly behavior.
WordNet
n. any act of molesting or interrupting or hindering or disquieting or agitating or arousing from a state of repose or otherwise depriving inhabitants of the peace and quiet to which they are entitled [syn: disorderly conduct, disorderly behavior, disturbance of the peace]
Wikipedia
Breach of the peace is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries, and in a wider public order sense in the several jurisdictions of the United Kingdom.
Usage examples of "breach of the peace".
I agree that I do not understand a situation in which young children are allowed to get so thoroughly out of hand that they can cause a breach of the peace amounting to a riot.
Appear promptly at the palace at ten o'clock to answer to the followin' charges, to wit: breach of the peace.
Equally committed to tolerating no breach of the peace or oppression of one people by another.
If, however, he broke any galactic law while he was on Earth, committed any breach of the peace, no matter how slight.
The law in the Hellers states that no man given to breach of the peace may own any weapon, even a sword, and there are laws about how long a pocketknife he may carry.