bréviaire, n.m., breviary.
brévité, n.f., (gram.) shortness (of syllables).
bribe, n.f., hunch. pl., scraps, bits; odd ends.
bric-à-brac, n.m., (—) odds and ends; old stores; curios. Marchand de —; dealer in old iron, old pictures, old stores, curios.
brick, n.m., (nav.) brig.
bricole, n.f., breast-collar of a horse; rebound of a ball (at tennis); back stroke (at billiards); strap; (nav.) pitching, rolling. De or par —; indirectly, unfairly, by a fluke.
bricoler, v.n., (billiards, tennis) to hit a back stroke; (fig.) to cadge, to dodge, to shuffle.
bride, n.f., bridle, reins, check, curb; string (of a woman’s cap, bonnet); loop (for a button); (surg.) frenum. Mettre la — à un cheval; to put a bridle upon a horse. Tenir la — haute à un cheval; to keep a tight rein. Lui tenir la — courte; to shorten the rein. Lâcher la —; to give rein, to give head. Courir à toute —, à — abattue; to run at full speed. Tourner —; to turn back. Tenir quelqu’un en —; to keep any one within bounds, to curb. À cheval donné on ne regarde pas à la —; one does not look a gift-horse in the mouth. Laisser or mettre la — sur le cou; to give head entirely; (fig.) to let any one have his own way.
bridé, -e, part., bridled. Oison —; silly creature.
brider, v.a., to bridle; to tie fast, to fasten; to restrain, to curb, to keep under; to check. — l’ancre; (nav.) to shoe the anchor. — ses désirs; to curb one’s desires. — son cheval par la queue; to begin at the wrong end. Mon habit me bride sous les bras; my coat is too tight under the arms.