name given by sailors to those billows that break violently over rocks lying under the surface of the sea. They are distinguished both by their appearance and sound, as they cover that part of the sea with a perpetual foam, and produce a horrible and terrible roaring, very different from what the waves usually have in a deeper bottom. When a ship is unhappily driven among breakers, it is hardly possible to save her, as every billow that heaves her upwards serves to dash her down with additional force when it breaks over the rocks or sands beneath it.

Breaking, in a mercantile style, denotes the becoming bankrupt. See Bankrupt.

Breaking-Bulk, in the sea-language, is the same with unloading part of the cargo.

Breakspear, Nicholas. See Adrian IV.

Bream. See Cyprinus, Ichthyology Index.

To Bream, to burn off the filth, such as grats, ooze, shells, or sea-weed, from a ship's bottom, that has gathered to it in a voyage, or by lying long in a harbour. This operation is performed by holding kindled furze, faggots, or such materials, to the bottom, so that the flame incorporating with the pitch, sulphur, &c., that had formerly covered it, immediately loosens and throws off whatever filth may have adhered to the planks. After this, the bottom is covered anew with a composition of sulphur, tallow, &c., which not only makes Breast makes it smooth and slippery, so as to divide the fluid more readily, but also poisons and destroys those worms which eat through the planks in the course of a voyage. Breathing may be performed either when the ship lies aground after the tide has ebbed from her, or by docking, or by careening.