1. Naut. One of the beams at the fore-part of the quarter-deck and round-house, and after-part of the forecastle.
c. 1850. Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 95.
2. Weaving. The horizontal wooden beam in the front of a loom.
1790. A. Wilson, Groans fr. Loom. While a bad web was his theme, The breast-beam supported his head.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, III. 1114. The breast beam … is supported at its end upon brackets.
3. The front cross-beam of the frame of a locomotive.
