brake

I

[[t]breɪk[/t]]

n. v. braked, brak•ing

1) aum a device for slowing or stopping a vehicle or other moving mechanism by the absorption or transfer of the energy of momentum, usu. by means of friction

2) aum brakes, the drums, shoes, tubes, levers, etc., making up such a device on a vehicle

3) anything that has a slowing or stopping effect

4) tex a tool or machine for breaking up flax or hemp, to separate the fiber

5) mac mel a machine for bending sheet metal to a desired shape

6) Obs. an instrument of torture; rack

7) to slow or stop by or as if by means of a brake

8) to furnish with brakes

9) tex to break up (flax or hemp) in a brake

10) to use or run a brake

11) to stop or slow upon being braked

•

Etymology: 1400–50; ME < MD, MLG brake′less, adj. II

brake

[[t]breɪk[/t]] n.

a place overgrown with bushes, brambles, or cane

•

Etymology: 1400–50; late ME < MLG brake thicket III

brake

[[t]breɪk[/t]] n.

1) pln

bracken 1)

2) pln any of numerous coarse tropical ferns of the genus Pteris, of the polypody family, cultivated as houseplants

•

Etymology: 1275–1325; ME IV

brake

[[t]breɪk[/t]] v. archaic

pt. of break