Find the word definition

Crossword clues for broach

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
broach
verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
broach a subject (=start talking about a sensitive subject)
▪ She hesitated, wondering exactly how to broach the subject of their sleeping arrangements.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
idea
▪ He broached the idea of seeking direct government aid to a neighbor.
matter
▪ He broached the matter carefully while Marshall put a match to some logs in the grate.
question
▪ He talked freely about quite a number of subjects, but had not once broached the question of being sent ashore.
subject
▪ But what was still troubling her was the fact that she had still not broached the subject of Janice.
▪ Popular magazines now broach the subject of mental illness, while the government is encouraging research into mental health.
▪ It was half a year, he thought, since she had last broached the subject of his bachelor status.
▪ I never broached the subject with him again.
▪ It was nine o'clock and they had been driven in by the mosquitoes before he broached the subject of the night before.
▪ Now, popular magazines regularly broach the subject.
▪ It had been Adam, too, who had broached the subject of a new computer programming system for the business.
▪ When, two months later, Father van Exem broached the subject, the Archbishop was actually quite upset about the idea.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ He decided not to broach the subject of divorce until his wife had recovered from her illness.
▪ I think Susan is being bullied at school, but every time I try to broach the matter with her she refuses to talk about it.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ But we have not yet broached the explanation of these changes.
▪ But what was still troubling her was the fact that she had still not broached the subject of Janice.
▪ It was half a year, he thought, since she had last broached the subject of his bachelor status.
▪ Moreover Pound's anti-Semitism, later so notorious, certainly casts a sinister light on his readiness to broach these issues.
▪ Recently, Milosevic broached one possibility.
▪ When, two months later, Father van Exem broached the subject, the Archbishop was actually quite upset about the idea.
▪ You could see De Gaulle fervently hoped it wouldn't be broached again.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Broach

Broach \Broach\, n. [OE. broche, F. broche, fr. LL. brocca; prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. proc thrust, stab, Gael. brog awl. Cf. Brooch.]

  1. A spit. [Obs.]

    He turned a broach that had worn a crown.
    --Bacon.

  2. An awl; a bodkin; also, a wooden rod or pin, sharpened at each end, used by thatchers. [Prov. Eng.]
    --Forby.

  3. (Mech.)

    1. 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.

    2. 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.

  4. (Masonry) A broad chisel for stonecutting.

  5. (Arch.) A spire rising from a tower. [Local, Eng.]

  6. A clasp for fastening a garment. See Brooch.

  7. A spitlike start, on the head of a young stag.

  8. The stick from which candle wicks are suspended for dipping.
    --Knight.

  9. The pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key.

Broach

Broach \Broach\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Broached; p. pr. & vb. n. Broaching.] [F. brocher, fr. broche. See Broach, n.]

  1. To spit; to pierce as with a spit.

    I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point.
    --Shak.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. To cause to begin or break out. [Obs.]
    --Shak.

  6. (Masonry) To shape roughly, as a block of stone, by chiseling with a coarse tool. [Scot. & North of Eng.]

  7. 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.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
broach

"pointed instrument," c.1300, from Old French broche (12c.) "spit for roasting, awl, point end, top," from Vulgar Latin *brocca "pointed tool," noun use of fem. of Latin adjective broccus "projecting, pointed" (used especially of teeth), perhaps of Gaulish origin (compare Gaelic brog "awl").

broach

"pierce," early 14c., from the same source as broach (n.). Meaning "begin to talk about" is 1570s, a figurative use with suggestions of "broaching" a cask or of spurring into action (compare Old French brochier, 12c., "to spur," also "to penetrate sexually"). Related: Broached broaching.

Wiktionary
broach

Etymology 1 n. 1 A series of chisel points mounted on one piece of steel. (rfex) 2 (context masonry English) A broad chisel for stone-cutting. 3 (alternative spelling of brooch English) 4 A spit for cooking food. 5 An awl; a bodkin; also, a wooden rod or pin, sharpened at each end, used by thatchers. 6 (context architecture UK dialect English) A spire rising from a tower. 7 A spit-like start on the head of a young stag. 8 The stick from which candle wicks are suspended for dipping. 9 The pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To make a hole in, especially a cask of liquor, and put in a tap in order to draw the liquid. 2 (context transitive English) To open, to make an opening into; to pierce. 3 (senseid en begin discussion about) (context transitive figuratively English) To begin discussion about (something). Etymology 2

alt. 1 (context archaic Scots) A spindle. 2 (context archaic Scots) A slender or thin person (especially as a nickname). n. 1 (context archaic Scots) A spindle. 2 (context archaic Scots) A slender or thin person (especially as a nickname). vb. 1 (context intransitive English) To be turned sideways to oncoming waves, especially large or breaking waves. 2 (context transitive English) To cause to turn sideways to oncoming waves, especially large or breaking waves. 3 (context transitive English) To be overcome or submerged by a wave or surge of water.

WordNet
broach
  1. n. a decorative pin worn by women [syn: brooch, breastpin]

  2. v. bring up a topic for discussion [syn: initiate]

Wikipedia
Broach (sailing)

A sailboat broaches when its heading suddenly changes towards the wind due to wind/ sail interactions for which the rudder cannot compensate. This happens when the aerodynamic force on the rig greatly exceeds the hydrodynamic force on the hull, due to a sudden increase in wind strength or turbulent sea conditions. In small boats and dinghies, broaching can lead to a death roll. In larger boats broaching can lay the mast horizontal, putting both rig and crew at risk. It can be particularly dangerous when racing other boats at close quarters.

Broach

Broach may refer to:

  • Broaching (metalworking), a machining operation that uses a metalworking tool with a series of chisel points mounted on one piece of steel
  • Broach (sailing), a sudden instability in the heading of a sailboat when sailing downwind
  • BROACH warhead, an advanced multi-stage warhead developed by a consortium of British companies
  • Broach spire, a spire that starts on a square base and is carried up to a tapering octagonal spire by means of triangular faces
  • Barbed broach, a dental instrument

Usage examples of "broach".

I wuz agast at the idee, and to think Alminy should broach it to me, and I give her a piece of my mind that must have lasted her for days and days.

Yet I feel that for the Keinaba family, whose wealth and acumen is known and admired throughout the Empire, to instruct one of their own to learn Anglais, one as high-ranking, as valuable, and as perceptive as yourself, Hon Echido, means that there is a more delicate matter you wish to broach.

Harper said, sounding uncharacteristically nervou He plainly believed that either ather Sarsfield, Captain Donaju or Captain lacy should broach the delicate subject that had caused this delegation to seek Sharpe out, but the cha lain and the two em assed officers were silent.

Again Tehei broached Samoa, and again my petit bateau brought the disappointment and the smile of acquiescence to his face.

She could think of no other explanation as to why he would wish to broach Birling House to see .

For the greater part of a week, Turn Around Norman had gone on with the show, exhibiting not the slightest indication that the intruder had broached his interior shell.

Well past dawn, with the cookfire lit, and Fionn Areth beside him, he broached the sensitive discussion concerning the uncanny difficulties ahead.

Still others lolled at ease, their surcoats unlaced, passing the dregs of broached spirits between them.

Like a torrent bursting through a broached dam, the Warden dispatched sequential images unveiling the full course of events.

Another step down the tunnel unfolded the burgeoning tension as Arithon sought to recover the broached grace of his privacy.

The first of the mighty beluga sturgeon had just broached the stream when he gave the word.

But as they passed beyond the ridge east of the cave, the radiant gleam of the rising sun broached the horizon, illuminating the broad plain of standing hay below with an intense golden glow.

Jondalar was still recovering from the mauling that same lion, or his mate, had given him earlier when he and his brother had foolishly broached their den.

Finally, unable to resist the inexorable pressures of the advancing river, they were finally broached, but the obdurate bedrock yielded reluctantly.

The river, unable to climb the northern highlands, had made a sharp turn and broached the ridge to reach the sea.