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breach
9 dictionary results for: Breach
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
breach 
[breech] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[breech] Pronunciation Key –noun
–verb (used with object)
–verb (used without object)
| 1. | the act or a result of breaking; break or rupture. |
| 2. | an infraction or violation, as of a law, trust, faith, or promise. |
| 3. | a gap made in a wall, fortification, line of soldiers, etc.; rift; fissure. |
| 4. | a severance of friendly relations. |
| 5. | the leap of a whale above the surface of the water. |
| 6. | Archaic. the breaking of waves; the dashing of surf. |
| 7. | Obsolete. wound1. |
| 8. | to make a breach or opening in. |
| 9. | to break or act contrary to (a law, promise, etc.). |
| 10. | (of a whale) to leap partly or completely out of the water, head first, and land on the back or belly with a resounding splash. |
—Related forms
breacher, noun
—Synonyms 1. fracture. 2. Breach, infraction, violation, transgression all denote in some way the breaking of a rule or law or the upsetting of a normal and desired state. Breach is used infrequently in reference to laws or rules, more often in connection with desirable conditions or states of affairs: a breach of the peace, of good manners, of courtesy. Infraction most often refers to clearly formulated rules or laws: an infraction of the criminal code, of university regulations, of a labor contract. Violation, a stronger term than either of the preceding two, often suggests intentional, even forceful or aggressive, refusal to obey the law or to respect the rights of others: repeated violations of parking regulations; a human rights violation. Transgression, with its root sense of “a stepping across (of a boundary of some sort),” applies to any behavior that exceeds the limits imposed by a law, especially a moral law, a commandment, or an order; it often implies sinful behavior: a serious transgression of social customs, of God's commandments. 3. crack, rent, opening. 4. alienation, split, rift, schism, separation; dissension.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| breach
(brēch) Pronunciation Key
n.
v. breached, breach·ing, breach·es v. tr.
v. intr. To leap from the water: waiting for the whale to breach. [Middle English breche, from Old English brēc; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots.] Synonyms: These nouns denote an act or instance of breaking a law or regulation or failing to fulfill a duty, obligation, or promise. Breach and infraction are the least specific: Revealing the secret would be a breach of trust. Infractions of the rules will not be tolerated. |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
breach
breach
O.E. bræc "a breaking," from brecan (see break), infl. by O.Fr. breche, from Frankish; both from P.Gmc. *brecho, *bræko "broken," from PIE base *bhreg-. Fig. sense of "a breaking of rules, etc." was in O.E. The verb is first recorded 1573.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| breach | |
noun | |
| 1. | a failure to perform some promised act or obligation |
| 2. | an opening (especially a gap in a dike or fortification) |
| 3. | a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); "they hoped to avoid a break in relations" [syn: rupture] |
verb | |
| 1. | act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises; "offend all laws of humanity"; "violate the basic laws or human civilization"; "break a law"; "break a promise" [syn: transgress] [ant: keep] |
| 2. | make an opening or gap in [syn: gap] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: breach
Pronunciation: 'brEch
Function: noun
1 a : a violation in the performance of or a failure to perform an obligation created by a promise, duty, or law without excuse or justification
breach of duty
: a breach of a duty esp. by a fiduciary (as an agent or corporate officer) in carrying out the functions of his or her position
breach of trust
: a breach by a trustee of the terms of a trust (as by stealing from or carelessly mishandling the funds)
breach of warranty
: a breach by a seller of the terms of a warranty (as by the failure of the goods to conform to the seller's description or by a defect in title)
NOTE: A seller may be liable for a breach of warranty even without any negligence or misconduct. b : failure without excuse or justification to fulfill one's obligations under a contract called also breach of contract —compare REPUDIATION
an·tic·i·pa·to·ry breach
: a breach of contract that occurs as a result of a party's anticipatory repudiation of the contract
ef·fi·cient breach
: breach of contract in economic theory in which it is more profitable for the breaching party to breach the contract and pay damages than to perform under the contract
ma·te·ri·al breach
: a breach of contract that is so substantial that it defeats the purpose of the parties in making the contract and gives the nonbreaching party the right to cancel the contract and sue for damages —compare substantial performance at PERFORMANCE
NOTE: Whether a breach is material is a question of fact. Under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, a material breach gives rise to the right to suspend performance but not to cancel the contract until there is a total breach.
par·tial breach
: a breach of contract in which the breaching party's nonperformance is minor and gives rise to the right to sue for damages but not to suspend performance or cancel the contract —compare part performance at PERFORMANCE
to·tal breach
: a breach of contract under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts that is so substantial that it gives rise to the right to cancel the contract and sue for damages
2 a : a violation or disturbance of something (as a law or condition)breaches of the rules of procedure —In re D.L.B., 429 North Eastern Reporter, Second Series 615 (1981)> breach of security>; especially : BREACH OF THE PEACE b : an act of breaking out <breach of prison>
3 : the condition of having committed a breach of contract —used in the phrase in breach breach is entitled to expenses —C&S/Sovran Corporation v. First Federal Savings Bank of Brunswick, 463 South Eastern Reporter, Second Series 892 (1995)> —breach verb —breach·er noun
Main Entry: breach
Pronunciation: 'brEch
Function: noun
1 a : a violation in the performance of or a failure to perform an obligation created by a promise, duty, or law without excuse or justification
breach of duty
: a breach of a duty esp. by a fiduciary (as an agent or corporate officer) in carrying out the functions of his or her position
breach of trust
: a breach by a trustee of the terms of a trust (as by stealing from or carelessly mishandling the funds)
breach of warranty
: a breach by a seller of the terms of a warranty (as by the failure of the goods to conform to the seller's description or by a defect in title)
NOTE: A seller may be liable for a breach of warranty even without any negligence or misconduct. b : failure without excuse or justification to fulfill one's obligations under a contract called also breach of contract —compare REPUDIATION
an·tic·i·pa·to·ry breach
: a breach of contract that occurs as a result of a party's anticipatory repudiation of the contract
ef·fi·cient breach
: breach of contract in economic theory in which it is more profitable for the breaching party to breach the contract and pay damages than to perform under the contract
ma·te·ri·al breach
: a breach of contract that is so substantial that it defeats the purpose of the parties in making the contract and gives the nonbreaching party the right to cancel the contract and sue for damages —compare substantial performance at PERFORMANCE
NOTE: Whether a breach is material is a question of fact. Under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, a material breach gives rise to the right to suspend performance but not to cancel the contract until there is a total breach.
par·tial breach
: a breach of contract in which the breaching party's nonperformance is minor and gives rise to the right to sue for damages but not to suspend performance or cancel the contract —compare part performance at PERFORMANCE
to·tal breach
: a breach of contract under the Restatement (Second) of Contracts that is so substantial that it gives rise to the right to cancel the contract and sue for damages
2 a : a violation or disturbance of something (as a law or condition)
3 : the condition of having committed a breach of contract —used in the phrase in breach breach is entitled to expenses —C&S/Sovran Corporation v. First Federal Savings Bank of Brunswick, 463 South Eastern Reporter, Second Series 892 (1995)> —breach verb —breach·er noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Breach
Breach\, n. [OE. breke, breche, AS. brice, gebrice, gebrece (in comp.), fr. brecan to break; akin to Dan. br[ae]k, MHG. breche, gap, breach. See Break, and cf. Brake (the instrument), Brack a break] . 1. The act of breaking, in a figurative sense. 2. Specifically: A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment; as, a breach of contract; a breach of promise. 3. A gap or opening made made by breaking or battering, as in a wall or fortification; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence; a break; a rupture. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead. --Shak. 4. A breaking of waters, as over a vessel; the waters themselves; surge; surf. The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. --2 Sam. v. 20? A clear breach implies that the waves roll over the vessel without breaking. A clean breach implies that everything on deck is swept away. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. 5. A breaking up of amicable relations; rupture. There's fallen between him and my lord An unkind breach. --Shak. 6. A bruise; a wound. Breach for breach, eye for eye. --Lev. xxiv. 20? 7. (Med.) A hernia; a rupture. 8. A breaking out upon; an assault. The Lord had made a breach upon Uzza. --1. Chron. xiii. 11? Breach of falth, a breaking, or a failure to keep, an expressed or implied promise; a betrayal of confidence or trust. Breach of peace, disorderly conduct, disturbing the public peace. Breach of privilege, an act or default in violation of the privilege or either house of Parliament, of Congress, or of a State legislature, as, for instance, by false swearing before a committee. --Mozley. Abbott. Breach of promise, violation of one's plighted word, esp. of a promise to marry. Breach of trust, violation of one's duty or faith in a matter entrusted to one. Syn: Rent; cleft; chasm; rift; aperture; gap; break; disruption; fracture; rupture; infraction; infringement; violation; quarrel; dispute; contention; difference; misunderstanding.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Breach
Breach\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Breached; p. pr. & vb. n. Breaching.] To make a breach or opening in; as, to breach the walls of a city.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Breach
Breach\, v. i. To break the water, as by leaping out; -- said of a whale.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Breach
an opening in a wall (1 Kings 11:27; 2 Kings 12:5); the fracture of a limb (Lev. 24:20), and hence the expression, "Heal, etc." (Ps. 60:2). Judg. 5:17, a bay or harbour; R.V., "by his creeks."
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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