brass hatn. a member of the brass.
When are the brass hats going to start pay-
ing attention to the important things? A
brass hat came up to me and asked me
where I was going.
brass tacksn. essential business. (Usually
in get down to brass tacks.) Now that we
are talking brass tacks, how much do you
really want for this watch? Since we
haven’t gotten down to brass tacks, would
it be unethical for me to buy you lunch?
BRBinterj. Be right back. (Used in elec-
tronic mail and computer forum or news
group messages. Not pronounced aloud.
Often enclosed,
off the computer for a minute.
I have to get off the computer to use the
phone. BRB
breadn. money. I need to get some bread
to live on. You got any bread you can
spare?
bread and buttern. one’s livelihood. It’s
bread and butter to me. I have to do it.
I can’t give it up. It’s my bread and but-
ter.
breadbasket and dinner basketn. the
belly; the stomach. I hit him, pow, right
in the breadbasket. With a dinner bas-
ket like that, he must have a devil of a time
buying clothes.
break 1. n. a chance; an opportunity.
Come on, give me a break! I got my first
break in show biz when I was only twelve.
- n. an escape from prison; a prison
breakout. I hear there’s a break planned
for tonight. Two cons got shot in the
break. 3. in. [for a news story] to unfold
rapidly. (Journalism.) As the story con-
tinues to break, we will bring you the lat-
est. Something is breaking on the Wil-
son murder. Get over to the DA’s office,
quick. 4. n. a solo played when the rest
of the band stops. This is your break,
Andy. Let’s hear it, man. It wasn’t much
of a break, but I gave it everything.
Break a leg!exclam. Good luck! (A spe-
cial theatrical way of wishing a performer
good luck. Saying good luckis considered
to be a jinx.) “Break a leg!” shouted the
stage manager to the heroine. Let’s all
go and do our best. Break a leg!breaker 1. n. a break dancer. (Break danc-
ing is a rhythmic and energetic im-
promptu performance usually done by
untrained urban youths.) He is one of
the best breakers in the city. I’m too fat
to be a breaker. 2. n. someone attempt-
ing to use a citizens band radio channel.
There’s a breaker trying to use this chan-
nel. Let’s drop down to eleven. Yo u g o t
it, breaker.breakfast of championsn. a first alco-
holic drink of the day, taken in the morn-
ing, instead of breakfast. (Collegiate.)
Well, here it goes—the breakfast of cham-
pions. He calls it the breakfast of cham-
pions. I call it a bad sign of something out
of hand.Break it up!exclam. Stop it! (An order to
two or more people to stop doing some-
thing, such as fighting.) All right you
two, break it up! She told the boys to
break it up or get sent to the principal’s of-
fice.break one’s balls to do somethingGo
to bust (one’s) ass (to do something).break outin. to leave. It’s late, man.
Time to break out. We broke out a lit-
tle after midnight.break someone’s ballstv. to wreck or ruin
someone; to overwork someone; to over-
whelm someone. (Usually objectionable.)
I’m gonna break your balls. You under-
stand me?break the ice 1. tv. to be the first one to
do something. No one wants to break
the ice. I guess I will be first. Well, I
guess we should break the ice and start
dancing. 2. tv. to attempt to become
friends with someone. He tried to break
the ice, but she was a little cold. A nice
smile does a lot to break the ice.breathern. a rest period; a lull. I really
need a breather. As soon as we’ve had
a breather, it’s back to work.breedern. a nonhomosexual. (In a homo-
sexual context.) Don’t invite Wally. He’sbreeder