breech

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The lower rear portion of the human trunk; the buttocks.
2. n. A breech presentation or delivery.
3. n. A fetus in breech presentation.
4. n. Knee breeches.
5. n. Informal Trousers.
6. n. The part of a firearm behind the barrel.
7. n. The lower part of a pulley block.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Breeches.
2. n. The lower part of the body behind.
3. n. The hinder part of anything; specifically, the mass of metal behind the bore of a cannon, or the part of a small arm back of the barrel, including the rear of the latter in breech-loaders.
4. n. Nautical, the angle of a knee-timber, the inside of which is called the throat.
5. To put into or clothe with breeches.
6. To cover to the breech or hilt.
7. [Various other readings and interpretations, such as reeched (soiled with a dark yellow), drenched, sheathed, etc., have been proposed by Shaksperian commentators.]
8. To whip on the breech.
9. To fit or furnish with a breech: as, to breech a gun.
10. To fasten by a breeching.
11. To suffer whipping on the breech.
12. n. The lowest quality or sort of wool from the fleece of the sheep: it is taken from the hinder part.

Wiktionary

1. n. nautical The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat.
2. n. A breech birth.
3. adv. With the hips coming out before the head.
4. adj. Born, or having been born, breech.
5. v. dated, transitive To dress in breeches. (especially) To dress a boy in breeches or trousers for the first time.
6. v. dated, transitive To beat or spank on the buttocks.
7. v. transitive To fit or furnish with a breech.
8. v. transitive To fasten with breeching.
9. v. poetic, transitive, obsolete To cover as if with breeches.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The lower part of the body behind; the buttocks.
2. n. obsolete Breeches.
3. n. The hinder part of anything; esp., the part of a cannon, or other firearm, behind the chamber.
4. n. (Naut.) The external angle of knee timber, the inside of which is called the throat.
5. v. To put into, or clothe with, breeches.
6. v. Poetic To cover as with breeches.
7. v. To fit or furnish with a breech.
8. v. obsolete To whip on the breech.
9. v. To fasten with breeching.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. opening in the rear of the barrel of a gun where bullets can be loaded