Brazen-Faced, impudent, shameless. From [BRASS]. Such a person is sometimes said “to have rubbed his face with a brass candlestick.”
Brazil, a hard red wood; “hard as Brazil,” a common expression. Quarles in his Emblems says—
“Thou know’st my brittle temper’s prone to break.
Are my bones BRAZIL or my flesh of oak?”
Bread-Bags, a nickname given in the army and navy to any one connected with the victualling department, as a purser or purveyor in the Commissariat.
Bread Basket, DUMPLING-DEPOT, VICTUALLING-OFFICE, &c., were terms which in the old pugilistic days were given by the “Fancy” to the digestive organs. Blows in this region were called “porridge disturbers,” and other fancy names, which were supposed to rob them of their hardness—to those who did not receive them.
Break-Down, a noisy dance, almost violent enough to break the floor down; a jovial, social gathering, a “flare up;” in Ireland, a wedding—American so far as the dance is concerned.
Break One’s Back, a figurative expression, implying bankruptcy, or the crippling of a person’s means.
“A story is current of a fashionable author answering a late and rather violent knock at his door one evening. A coal-heaver wanted to know if the gentleman would like a cheap ton of coals; he was sorry for troubling him so late, but ‘the party as had a-ordered the two ton and a-half couldn’t be found,’ although he had driven his ‘waggon for six blessed hours up and down the neighbourhood. Five-and-twenty is the price, but yer shall have them for 20s.’ Our author was not to be tempted, he had heard of the trick before; so bidding the man go away from his house, he shut the door. The man, however, lingered there, expatiating on the quality of his coals—‘Acterly givin’ ’em away, and the gent wont have ’em,’ said he, addressing the neighbourhood in a loud voice: and the last that was heard of him was his anything but sweet voice whistling through the keyhole, ‘Will eighteen bob BREAK YER BACK?’”
Break Shins, to borrow money. Probably from an older slang phrase, “kick,” to ask for drink-money.