| brainstem haemorrhage | Haemorrhage into the pons or mesencephalon, often secondary to brainstem distortion by transtentorial herniations due to rapidly expanding intracranial lesions. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| brainwashing | <psychology> Inducing an individual to modify attitudes and actions in certain directions through the application of various forms of psychological pressure or torture. (17 Dec 1997) |
| brait | A rough diamond. Origin: Cf.W. Braith variegated, Ir. Breath, breagh, fine, comely. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| braize | <marine biology> A European marine fish (Pagrus vulgaris) allied to the American scup; the becker. The name is sometimes applied to the related species. [Also written brazier. Origin: So called from its iridescent colours. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| brake | 1. <botany> A fern of the genus Pteris, especially. The P. Aquilina, common in almost all countries. It has solitary stems dividing into three principal branches. Less properly: Any fern. 2. A thicket; a place overgrown with shrubs and brambles, with undergrowth and ferns, or with canes. "Rounds rising hillocks, brakes obscure and rough, To shelter thee from tempest and from rain." (Shak) "He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone." (Sir W. Scott) Cane brake, a thicket of canes. See Canebrake. Origin: OE. Brake fern; cf. AS. Bracce fern, LG. Brake willow bush, Da. Bregne fern, G. Brach fallow; prob. Orig. The growth on rough, broken ground, fr. The root of E. Break. See Break, cf. Bracken, and 2d Brake. 1. An instrument or machine to break or bruise the woody part of flax or hemp so that it may be separated from the fibre. 2. An extended handle by means of which a number of men can unite in working a pump, as in a fire engine. 3. A baker's kneading though. 4. A sharp bit or snaffle. "Pampered jades . . . Which need nor break nor bit." (Gascoigne) 5. A frame for confining a refractory horse while the smith is shoeing him; also, an inclosure to restrain cattle, horses, etc. "A horse . . . Which Philip had bought . . . And because of his fierceness kept him within a brake of iron bars." (J. Brende) 6. That part of a carriage, as of a movable battery, or engine, which enables it to turn. 7. An ancient engine of war analogous to the crossbow and ballista. 8. <agriculture> A large, heavy harrow for breaking clods after plowing; a drag. 9. A piece of mechanism for retarding or stopping motion by friction, as of a carriage or railway car, by the pressure of rubbers against the wheels, or of clogs or ratchets against the track or roadway, or of a pivoted lever against a wheel or drum in a machine. 10. <engineering> An apparatus for testing the power of a steam engine, or other motor, by weighing the amount of friction that the motor will overcome; a friction brake. 11. A cart or carriage without a body, used in breaking in horses. 12. An ancient instrument of torture. Air brake. See Air brake, in the Vocabulary. Brake beam or Brake bar, the beam that connects the brake blocks of opposite wheels. Brake block. The part of a brake holding the brake shoe. A brake shoe. Brake shoe or Brake rubber, the part of a brake against which the wheel rubs. Brake wheel, a wheel on the platform or top of a car by which brakes are operated. Continuous brake . See Continuous. Origin: OE. Brake; cf. LG. Brake an instrument for breaking flax, G. Breche, fr. The root of E. Break. See Break, and cf. Breach. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| brakeman | 1. A man in charge of a brake or brakes. 2. <chemical> The man in charge of the winding (or hoisting) engine for a mine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| braky | Full of brakes; abounding with brambles, shrubs, or ferns; rough; thorny. "In the woods and braky glens." (W. Browne) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| bramble | 1. <botany> Any plant of the genus Rubus, including the raspberry and blackberry. Hence: Any rough, prickly shrub. "The thorny brambles, and embracing bushes." (Shak) 2. <zoology> The brambling or bramble finch. Origin: OE. Brembil, AS.brmbel, brmbel (akin to OHG. Bramal), fr. The same root as E. Broom, As. Brm. See Broom. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| bramble bush | <botany> The bramble, or a collection of brambles growing together. "He jumped into a bramble bush And scratched out both his eyes." (Mother Goose) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| brambling | <zoology> The European mountain finch (Fringilla montifringilla). Synonym: bramble finch and bramble. Origin: OE. Bramline. See Bramble. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| bran | 1. The broken coat of the seed of wheat, rye, or other cereal grain, separated from the flour or meal by sifting or bolting; the coarse, chaffy part of ground grain. 2. <zoology> The European carrion crow. Origin: OE. Bren, bran, OF. Bren, F. Bran, from Celtic; cf. Armor. Brenn, Ir. Bran, bran, chaff. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| branch | <plant biology> A natural division of a plant stem. (17 Dec 1997) |
| branch migration | <molecular biology> Movement of the branch point in a branched DNA sequence formed from two parent DNA molecules with practically identical sequences. (17 Dec 1997) |
| branch of auriculotemporal nerve to tympanic membrane | Sensory branch of the auriculotemporal nerve supplying the external surface of the tympanic membrane. Synonym: ramus membranae tympani nervi auriculotemporalis, nerve of tympanic membrane. (05 Mar 2000) |
| branch of glossopharyngeal nerve to stylopharyngeus muscle | <anatomy> Sole motor branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve to the stylopharyngeus muscle. Synonym: ramus musculi stylopharyngei nervi glossopharyngei. (05 Mar 2000) |