Bolting-hutch (in a mill), the machine by which the flour is bolted or separated from the bran.
Bombast, wadding, padding, from bombax cotton, the usual material.
Books. To be in one's books (M. Ado, i. 1), to be in favour with. It seems to be taken from the giving credit of tradesmen.
Boots. Give the boots (Two Gent. i. 1) seems to be equivalent to the present give the sack, i.e. turn away.
Brach. "A mannerly name for all hound-bitches" (Gentleman's Recreation, p. 27). "A brache or biche, canicula, petite chienne," Baret, Dict. This seems to be its meaning everywhere in Shakespeare, except perhaps Lear, iii. 6, and everywhere else that it occurs. Jonson and Massinger use it, as bitch is still used by the vulgar, of a low common woman. Its substitution for that term may have been caused by the similarity of sound. Braque, Fr. (bracco It.), is a setting-dog; and in the work just quoted we are told the Scotch called a dog that ran by scent rache, "the female thereof in England is called a brache." The Icelandic name of this dog at the present day is rakkr. "Here is a leysche of ratches for to run a hare" (Skelton, Interl. of Mag.). Golding (Ov. Met. p. 33) uses brach and bitch as synonymous and of hounds. A lady-brach (Lear, i. 4, 1 Hen. IV. iii. 1?) seems to have been what we now call a parlour-dog; females being preferred, probably on account of their greater gentleness. The above derivation of brach is, however, not quite satisfactory.
Break across (As Y. L. iii. 4), used of a spear, in tilting, when in the charge its handle was broken by the awkwardness of the tilter. The mode of doing it, however, is not easy to conceive. Perhaps break was not used in its usual sense.
Break up, carve. It is used (L. L. L. iv. 1) of a love-letter, called in French poulet.
Breast (Tw. N. ii. 3), voice—containing for contained.
Bribed buck (M. W. v. 5), "a buck cut up to be given away in portions. In O. Fr. bribes were portions of meat which were given away." So Singer explains it; but I rather suspect it may be a stolen buck. See Richardson, v. Bribe.
Breathe in watering (1 H. IV. ii. 4), to take breath while drinking. It seems to be taken from horses.