▪ I. broach, n.1
(brəʊtʃ)
Forms: 4–9 broche, 6 brotche, 6–9 broch, 6, 9 brooch, 9 dial. brotch, 6– broach.
[ME. broche, a. F. broche (13th c. in Littré), ONF. broke, broque; corresp. to Pr. and Sp. broca, It. brocca ‘a carver's great fork’ (Florio):—Rom. or late L. *brocca spike, pointed instrument, akin to broccus, brocchus adj. in brocchi dentes projecting teeth. The same word as brooch, the senses having been differentiated in spelling.]
I. A tapering pointed instrument or thing.
† 1. A pointed rod of wood or iron; a lance, spear, bodkin, pricker, skewer, awl, stout pin. Obs. in general sense exc. dial.
| c 1305 Disp. Mary & Cross 55 in Leg. Rood 135 A Broche þorw-out his brest born. 1448 MS. R. Glouc. Gloss. 628 A broche of brennyng fure was putte þurghe an horne, that was putt in his fondement in to K. Edward Seconds body. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. clv. 137 He prykked the tode thurgh with a broche. 1548 Thomas Rules Ital. Gram. in Promp. Parv. 52, Stocco, an armyng swoorde made like a broche. 1658 R. White tr. Digby's Powd. Symp. (1660) 127 Make red-hot a broach or fire-shovel. 1674 Ray N.C. Wds. 8, Broach..signifies also a Butchers-prick. |
2. esp. Such a pointed instrument used for roasting meat upon; a spit.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1029 Thre balefulle birdez his brochez þey turne. c 1420 Liber Cocorum 16 Do opon a broche, rost hom bydene A lytel. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52 Broche or spete, veru. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man v. (1603) 373 Shee..put him upon the broach, and roasted him. 1622 Bacon Hen. VII, 36 Hee turned a Broach that had worne a Crowne. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 547 Entrails shall..drip their Fatness from the Hazle Broach. 1820 Scott Ivanhoe iv, Wild-fowl..brought in upon small wooden spits or broaches. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 475 Set To turn the broach. |
b. A spit for spitting herring; a similar instrument used in Candle-making for suspending the wicks for dipping.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52 Broche for spyrlynge or herynge, spiculum. 1875 Ure Dict. Arts I. 680 The dipping room is furnished with..a large wheel for supporting the broaches. |
† 3. ? A taper: often mentioned along with torches; but in some cases (e.g. quot. 1504) explained as a spike on which to stick a candle.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 244 Hew fyre at a flynte..But thow have towe to take it with, tondre or broches, Al thi laboure is loste. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xxxv, Troches and broches and stondartis bi-twene. 1504 Eng. Gilds (1870) 327 A broche w{supt} a fote. ij new torches. |
4. † a. A spindle. Obs. or Sc.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52 Broche of threde, vericulum. 1483 Cath. Angl. 44 A Broche for garn, fusillus. 1513 Douglas æneis vii. xiv. 59 Hir womanly handis..Na spyndill vsit, nor brochis of Mynerve. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl., Broaches, Wooden spindles to put pirns on, to be wound off. |
b. A shuttle used in weaving tapestry.
| 1783 Encycl. Brit. X. 8536/1 They serve to keep the warp open for the passage of broaches wound with silks, woollens, or other matters used in the piece of tapestry. 1878 Mrs. Sketchley tr. A. de Champeaux's Tapestry 2 The material for the woof is wound on a wooden shuttle, called a ‘broach’ or ‘flute’. 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 212/1 The design [of tapestry and pile carpets] is formed by short stitches knotted across the warp with a wooden needle called a broach. |
5. A piece of tough pliant wood, pointed at each end, used by thatchers for fixing their work.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52 Broche for a thacstare, firmaculum. 1787 W. Marshall Norfolk II. 64 To prevent the wind from blowing it off..he pegs it down slightly with ‘double broaches’. 1843 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IV. ii. 366 Thatcher for labour, brotches, etc., at 7s. 6d. 1863 Morton Cycl. Agric. Gloss., Broaches..rods of hazel, etc., split and twisted for use by the thatcher. |
6. A church spire; also, formerly, an obelisk. Now technically restricted as in quot. 1876.
| 1501 MS. S. Lincolnsh. Churchw. Acc., For trassyng & makyn moldes to the brooch. 1665 in Bp. Cosin's Corr. (Surtees) II. 121 The lead and timber of the two great broaches at the west end of the church. 1715 tr. Pancirollus' Rerum Mem. I. ii. xiv. 99 Augustus Cæsar brought two of these Broaches or Spires to Rome. 1854 H. Miller Sch. & Schm. xiv. (1857) 348 The Masonry a-top that had supported the wooden broach. 1876 Gwilt Archit. 959 The most frequent spire is that called a broach, when it does not rise from within parapets, but is carried up on four of its sides from the top of the square tower. |
7. Venery. ‘A start of the head of a young stag, growing sharp like the end of a spit’ (Bailey).
| 1575 Turberv. Venerie 52 They beare not their first head which we call Broches..until they enter the second yere of their age. 1616 Bullokar, Broches, the first head or hornes of a Hart or stagge. 1623 Cockeram 1, Pollard, Broach is the next [start] growing aboue the Beame antler. 1677 N. Cox Gentl. Recreation (1706) 65 The first is called Antlier; the second Surantlier..The little Buds or Broches about the Top, are called Croches. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) I. ii. v. 324 The stag's horns are called his head; when simple, the first year they are called broches. |
8. † a. A tusk or canine tooth (obs.). b. One of the teeth of a carding-comb, in a woollen mill.
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 125 These [shepherds' dogs] ought to be well faced..a flat chap, with two great broches, or long, straight, sharp teeth. 1837 Whittock Bk. Trades (1842) 483 To place the wool on one of his combs the steel brooches of which are triple. |
† 9. A surveyor's arrow used with the chain. Obs.
| 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countr. Farm 519 The Measurer must be prouided of tenne or twelue arrowes, otherwise called little broches, or prickes..to guide the chayne. |
10. A general name for tapered boring-bits, or tools for enlarging or smoothing holes, generally of polygonal form with several cutting edges, sometimes round and smooth for burnishing, as in watchmaking; a similar tool used in dentistry; an instrument for broaching or tapping casks. In Lock-making, the pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key.
| 1753 Chambers Cycl., Among us, broach is chiefly used for a steel instrument wherewith to open holes in metals. 1786 Phil. Trans. LXXVI. 28, I took a five-sided broach, which opened the hole in the brass. 1846 W. Johnston Beckmann's Hist. Invent. I. 228 A piece of timber..like the handle of a broch. 1859 J. Tomes Dent. Surg. 415 Broaches for destroying and withdrawing the pulp should be very fine, elastic and flexible. 1884 F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 36 A round broach..for burnishing brass holes. |
11. A narrow pointed chisel used by masons.
† 12. ‘A musical instrument, the sounds of which are made by turning round a handle’ (Bailey 1730–6). Obs.
II. from the verb.
13. A perforation or boring.
| 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 192 b, That he shulde nat make a broche or do any harme. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 259 The old Horses have longer and thinner teeth..there are certain broaches or wrinckles in their teeth. 1684 Bucaniers Amer. iii. 32 Making an incision, or broach in the body, from thence gently distilleth a sort of Liquor. |
† 14. Phrase. a broach, on broach: with a perforation or tap; esp. to set a (on) broach: to tap and set running; also fig. (Now written abroach.) Also in broach.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52/2 Brochyn or settyn a vesselle abroche, attamino. 1513 Bk. Keruynge in Babees Bk. (1868) 266 Whan ye sette a pype on broche, do thus. 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 355/2, I see..heresyes so sore sette a broche in some vnhappy heartes. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 172/1 Wee haue in part set this matter on broch. 1606 Earl of Northampton in True & Perf. Relat. Gg 2 a, When it [this doctrine] was first set on broach. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey II. xii. 169 As fine a barrel of ale in broach as you ever tasted. |
III. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 5) broach-river; broach-splitting; (sense 6) broach-spire, broach-steeple; broach-turner, a turn-spit; broach-wood, wood suitable for making broaches or spits.
| 1921 Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §499 *Broach river; rives timber with a cleaver, and shapes the pieces of timber with a hand knife to form broaches, i.e. pointed implements used in thatching. |
| 1848 Rickman Goth. Archit. 154 The *broach-spires of Northamptonshire. |
| 1899 Rider Haggard in Longman's Mag. Mar. 410, I found..Rough Jimmy..employed in splitting broaches to be used for thatching stacks. This is the process of *broach-splitting. |
| 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countr. Farm 446 A head of Brasse, made after the fashion of a *broch steeple. |
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 549/1 The *broche turner..may let the spitte stande. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 750 Dish-washer and broach-turner, loon! |
| 1836 Marryat Japhet xiv, We were cutting hazel *broach wood in the forest. |
▪ II. broach, n.2
(brəʊtʃ)
In 7 baroche.
[Place-name.]
A Surat cotton grown in the Broach district, Gujarat State, India.
| 1617 R. Cocks Diary (Hakl. Soc. 1883) I. 330 We gave our host..a peece of backar baroche to his children to make them 2 coates. 1877 Encycl. Brit. VI. 482/2 The principal sorts [of Surats] are Hingunghât, Oomrawuttee, Broach, Dhollera, and Dharwar. 1959 Chambers's Encycl. II. 587/1 Raw ‘Broach’ cotton. |
▪ III. broach, a. rare.
[attrib. use of n.]
Like a broach or spit; in Arch. broach-shaped.
| 1721 in Bailey. 1849 Freeman Archit. 384 Instead of being broach, they began to spring out of the middle of the tower. |
▪ IV. broach, v.1
(brəʊtʃ)
Forms: 4–6 broche, 5–7 broch, 6 broache, (8 dial. broych), 6– broach.
[f. broach n.1: cf. F. brocher, Pr. brocar, brochar, It. broccare, f. broche, broca, brocca n. Cf. broker.]
† 1. trans. To pierce, stab, thrust through. Obs.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 212 To broche hem with a [pak-] nedle. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9539 He was brochit þurgh the body with a big speire. 1557 K. Arthur (Copland) i. xvi, He broched y⊇ hors of kynge Ban through and through. 1583 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 52 His feet..with raynes of bridil ybroached. 1599 Warn. Faire Wom. ii. 130 With the piercing steel Ready to broach his bosom. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows iii. §95. 364 Edward 2..was cruelly broached to death with an hot iron spit. |
† 2. spec. a. To prick with spurs; to spur. Obs.
| 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 277 Þer stedes broched þei fast, c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xxxix. 1475 Caxton Jason 15 b, Which broched their horses with their spores. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. xv. 82 With spurris brocheand the fomy steidis sydis. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 61 The capytayne of theym broched his horse agenst Arthur. |
† b. absol. To spur, ‘prick’. Obs.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3657 Clarioun..Comeþ by-fore faste brochyng, On ys stede of Araby. c 1400 Destr. Troy 10033 Troiell..brochit in bremely his brother to venge. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ii. 63 The frenshemen brochyng with y⊇ spore as fast as theyr horses might renne. |
† c. const. To broach (spurs) to (a horse). rare.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. 632 They broched their spurres to their horses, and so retourned to Andwarpe. |
† 3. a. To transfix (meat) with a spit which may hold it while roasting; to spit. Obs.
| c 1420 Liber Cocorum 26 Hit broch thou shalle, Then do hit to fyre and rost hit alle. 1483 Cath. Angl. 44 To Broche, verudare. 1530 Palsgr. 471/1 Whan you have broched the meate, lette the boye tourne. 1623 Favine Theat. Hon. v. i. 49 Broching it, and then turning it at the fire himselfe. |
† b. To stick (something) on a spit or pointed weapon which transfixes it; to spit. Obs.
| 1557 K. Arthur (Copland) v. v. 5 Thre damoysels turnyng thre broches, wheron were broched xii yonge children late borne lyke yonge byrdes. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, v. Prol. 32 Bringing Rebellion broached on his Sword. 1655 Theophania 172 Percianus..walks as if he were broached upon a stake. 1704 Worlidge Dict. Rust. et Urb. s.v. Basting of Hemp, Broaching them, or spitting them upon long sticks. |
4. a. To pierce (a cask, etc.) so as to draw the liquor; to tap.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 52 Brochyn or settyn a vesselle broche, attamino. 1530 Palsgr. 471/1, I broche a wyne vessel, je perce. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. i. 31 It is too daungerous to broach a vessell of poyson. 1659–60 Pepys Diary (1879) I. 87 We broached a vessel of ale that we had sent for among us. 1707 Farquhar Beaux' Strat. i. i. 2 Here, Tapster, broach Number 1706. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. V. xliii. 25 A pipe of wine was broached. |
b. Also with the liquor as object.
| 1650 Baxter Saints R. i. v. §1 (1654) 49 For you, Christians, is this wine broached. 1713 Lond. & Countr. Brew. i. (1742) 80 Time for broaching such Beer. 1866 Kingsley Herew. iii. 77 French wine which had just been broached. |
c. fig., and of a vein, blood.
| 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (1884) 9 So cunning..to bru, and so reddi to broche debate. 1575 J. Still Gamm. Gurton ii. iii, Ye see..one end tapt of this my short devise. Now must we broche t'other to. 1663 Butler Hud. i. ii. 489 Bloud was ready to be broach'd. 1817 J. Gilchrist Intell. Patrimony 157 He could wrench out a tooth, broach a vein, splice a bone. 1871 Browning Pr. Hohenst. 1867 One way I bid broach the blood O' the world. |
5. transf. and fig. To pierce or break into, in order to liberate or extract something; to ‘tap’ (a bed of coal or other mineral).
| 1583 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 20 With poyncted flatchet thee mountan he broached. 1592 Greene Disput. Addr. 1, I haue broacht vp the secretes of vice. 1650 Fuller Pisgah 371 A Countrey..where God broached a rich vein of gold for this particular purpose. 1839 Murchison Silur. Syst. i. xxxv. 470 The uppermost coal bed..was termed the ‘broachcoal,’ as being the index by which the rich field was broached or tapped. 1847 Miller First Impr. x. 167 The Dudley coal field seems to have been broached just in time. |
6. To give vent or publicity to; to give out; to begin conversation or discussion about, introduce, moot. (The chief current sense.)
| 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 49/1 To broch a newe and straunge doctrine. 1593 Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. v. §3 To broach my private conceit I should be loth. 1614 T. Adams Divell's Banket 52 Euery Nouelist..must broach new opinions. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 457 ¶2 Last Friday's Letter, in which I broached my Project of a News-Paper. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 317 note, He [Dr. Franklin] broached the idea of the American Philosophical Society. 1860 Motley Netherl. (1868) II. xiv. 203 Failing in that we broached the third point. |
7. techn. To pick, indent, or furrow the surface of stone with a narrow-pointed stone-chisel called a broach, or puncheon. (The kind of work produced varies in different localities.)
| 1544 Chapel Roll in Gloss. Goth. Archit. (1845) I. 74 In hewinge, brochinge, and scaplyn of stone for the chapell. 1703 Thoresby Let. Ray, To broych, or broach, as Masons an Atchler, when with the small point of their ax, they make it full of little pits or small holes. 1808 Jamieson, To broach, to rough-hew. 1876 Gwilt Archit. 1236 The face of the stone should be previously droved, and then broached. |
8. To enlarge and finish (a drilled hole) with a ‘broach’ or boring-bit. Also with adv. out.
| 1846 Holtzapffel Turning II. 572 Flutes and clarionets are first perforated with the nose-bit, and then broached with taper holes. 1859 Ibid. IV. 363 The work being removed from the chuck, the hole is broached out to size. 1889 Hasluck Model Engin. Handybk. viii. 91 The hole in cross-head for piston-rod will have to be broached out. |
▪ V. broach, v.2 Naut.
(brəʊtʃ)
[perh. a use of broach v.1, in sense of ‘turn’ (as on a spit).]
1. intr. in phrase, to broach to (said of the ship): to veer suddenly so as to turn the side to windward, or to meet the sea.
| 1705 W. Dampier Voy. II. iii. 6 If the Ship..should prove unruly, as..by her broaching to against all endeavours, which often happens, when a fierce gust comes. 1762–9 Falconer Shipwr. ii. 639 If broaching sideway to the sea, Our dropsied ship may founder by the lee. 1800 A. Duncan Mariner's Chron. (1804) II. 77 She lost her steerage way, broached-to, and upset, the sea rolling over and over. 1829 Marryat F. Mildmay v, The vessel..broached to, that is, came with her broadside to the wind and sea. 1840 R. Dana Bef. Mast xxxii. 126 They hove the wheel up just in time to save her from broaching to. |
2. trans. To cause (the ship) to veer or swerve to windward, to bring with her broadside to the wind and sea.
| 1762–9 Falconer Shipwr. ii. 376 Broach the vessel to the westward round. 1875 Bedford Sailor's Pocket-bk. vi. 229 It too often happens that some of the men catch crabs with their oars, and broach the boat to. |
Hence ˈbroaching-to vbl. n.
| 1762–9 Falconer Shipwr. iii. (1819) 98 They dread her broaching-to. 1875 Bedford Sailor's Pocket-bk. vi. 218 The one great danger, when running before a broken sea, is that of broaching-to. |