The verb-stem in composition forming sbs. or adjs.
I. With verb + object.
1. Forming sbs., as break-bones, the Ossifrage or Osprey; break-bulk, one who breaks bulk, a captain that abstracts part of his cargo; break-club (Golf), any obstacle on which the player might break his club; † break-forward, an alleged old name of the hare; † break-gap, that which opens a passage; † break-hedge, a trespasser; † break-league, a breaker of a league or treaty; † break-love, a disturber or destroyer of love; † break-net, the Dog-fish or Thresher; † break-peace, a peace-breaker; † break-promise, a promise-breaker; † break-pulpit, a boisterous preacher; † break-vow, a breaker of vows; break-wind dial., a disease of sheep.
1881. A. C. Grant, Bush Life Queensl., xxix. II. 133. One of the men … has managed to stop the *break-aways.
1838. Poe, A. G. Pym, Wks. 1864, IV. 123. It is frequently called the *break-bones, or osprey peterel.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea (1847), 166. To smother their owne disloyalties, in suffering these *breake-bulks to escape.
1857. Chambers, Inform., II. 67, Lifting of *Break-clubs.—All loose impediments within twelve inches of the ball may be removed on or off the course when the ball lies on grass.
c. 1300. Names of Hare, in Rel. Ant., I. 13. The make-fare, the *breke-forwart.
1645. Pagitt, Heresiogr. (1662), Ep. Ded. The *break-gap to all those mischiefs that flowed in upon the King.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 33. Keepe safe thy fence, scare *breakhedge thence.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 113. Al faythlesse *break leages. Ibid., 143. Like a *breaklooue mak’bat adultrer.
1583. J. Higins, Junius’ Nomenclator, *Breakenet, a sea-dog or dogfishe.
1623. Minsheu, Sp. Dict., Lamia, a certaine dog-fish called a Breaknet.
1593. Pass. Morrice, 73. Our only *breakepeace.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., IV. i. 196. I will thinke you the most patheticall *breake-promise.
1589. Marprel. Epit., F. Som of our bishops are very great *breakepulpits.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 444. This *brakeuow naughtye.
1596. Shaks., John, II. ii. 569. That Broker, that still breakes the pate of faith. That dayly breake-vow.
1823. Hogg, Sheph. Cal., I. 110. It never saw either braxy or *breakwind.
2. Forming adjs., as break-ax, that breaks axes, as in Break-ax Tree, Sloanea Jamaicensis; break-bone, bone-breaking, as in break-bone fever, the dengue, an infectious eruptive fever of warm climates; break-covert, that breaks covert; † break-dance, disturbing, turbulent. See also BREAK-BACK, BREAK-NECK.
1756. P. Browne, Jamaica, 250. The *Brake-axe Tree. It is so very hard that it is found a difficult matter even to cut it down.
1866. A. Flint, Princ. Med. (1880), 1073. Excruciating pains in the head, eyes, muscles of the neck, loins, and extremities are prominent traits of the affection; hence the name *breakbone fever.
1885. Lady Brassey, The Trades, 395. A ship with several cases of ‘Dengue,’ or ‘Breakbone fever’ on board.
1820. Keats, Isabella, xxviii. The *break-covert blood-hounds.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., Ep. Ded. This brainesicke and *breakedanse Girald of Desmond … did breake into treasons.
II. With the vb. used attrib. = breaking; as break-piece, break-iron.
1879. G. Prescott, Sp. Telephone, 253. An electromagnet with a self-interrupting *breakpiece attached to its armature.
1881. Young, Every Man his own Mechanic, § 383. 166. The *break-iron by which the shaving is turned in its upward course.
