ˈbreast-plough
‘A sort of Plough driven by main force with one's breast, commonly used in paring the Turf in Burn-beating’ (Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 322).
| 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Trenching Spade, Some of these Spades..are made with one side turned up like the Breast-Plow. 1869 Blackmore Lorna D. xv, We must..labour as at a breast-plough. |
Hence ˈbreast-plough v., and ˈbreast-ploughing vbl. n.
| 1846 J. Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. ii. 183 The breast-ploughing on these soils is easy. |