breast
gb/bɹˈɛst/ us/bɹˈɛst/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Front of chest, esp. in women
The front part of the chest, especially in women, where milk is made for babies.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s breast
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'breast' with 'chest', but 'breast' usually refers to the front part and is often used for women.
Synonyms
chest (More general; refers to the entire front of the upper body, not specifically the mammary area.)
Antonyms
back (Refers to the opposite side of the torso from the breast.)
Collocations
breast cancer
|breast milk
|breast feeding
|bare breast
Themes
anatomy
|health
|daily life
|body
Examples
- The baby was cradled against her breast.
- She found a lump in her breast during a self-exam.
- The dress had a low neckline that showed part of her breast.
Learner examples
- The baby is drinking milk from her breast.
- She has pain in her left breast.
- He put his hand on his chest, near his breast.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Bird's chest area or meat
The front part of a bird's body, often eaten as meat.
Usage pattern:
[animal] breast
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize 'breast' in this sense is mainly used for birds and poultry meat.
Synonyms
white meat (Refers to the lighter-colored meat from poultry, often including but not limited to the breast.)
Antonyms
thigh (Refers to another cut of meat from poultry, located on the leg.)
Collocations
chicken breast
|turkey breast
|duck breast
Themes
food
|animals
|food_drink
Examples
- I ordered grilled chicken breast for lunch.
- Turkey breast is leaner than other cuts.
- The chef stuffed the duck breast with herbs.
Learner examples
- I like chicken breast with rice.
- He cooked a turkey breast for dinner.
- Duck breast is very tasty.
Verb
literary
C1
action
3
Face and confront something
To go against something difficult or dangerous without fear.
Usage pattern:
to breast [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may not encounter this verb form often; it's more common in literary descriptions than in everyday speech.
Synonyms
confront (More common; used in everyday contexts for facing problems or people directly.)
Antonyms
avoid (Means to stay away from or not face something.)
Collocations
breast the waves
|breast the storm
Themes
challenge
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The climber breasted the steep slope with determination.
- They breasted the storm to reach safety.
- She breasted the strong current in the river.
Learner examples
- He breasted the cold wind.
- They breasted the hill together.
- She breasted the big wave.
Grammar
Dictionary form
breast
IPA
GB/bɹˈɛst/
US/bɹˈɛst/
Syllables & stress
breast (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (breast)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: breast
- Plural: breasts
Verb
- Base: breast
- 3rd Person Singular: breasts
- Present Participle: breasting
- Past: breasted
Word family
Forms
breasts
noun
breasting
verb
breasted
verb
Core family
breastfeed
verb
breastfeeding
noun
Related words
breastbone
noun
breaststroke
noun
Advanced or less common
mammary
adjective
Expressions
breast cancer
1/bɹˈɛst kˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
Cancer in mammary glands
A serious illness where cells in the breast grow in a dangerous way.
Examples
- Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women.
- She is raising money for breast cancer research.
breast milk
1/bɹˈɛst mˈɪlk/
fixed phrase
Milk from human breasts for babies
Milk made by a woman's body to feed her baby.
Examples
- Breast milk contains important nutrients for babies.
- Some mothers store breast milk for later use.
breast milk
3/bɹˈɛst mˈɪlk/
fixed phrase
human milk for a baby
a mother’s milk for her baby
Examples
- The nurse explained how to store breast milk safely.
- Some babies drink breast milk from a bottle.
breast pocket
1/bɹˈɛst pˈɑkət/
fixed phrase
Upper front pocket on clothing
A small pocket on the top front of a shirt or jacket.
Examples
- He kept a pen in his breast pocket.
- The ticket was folded neatly in his breast pocket.
breastfeed
1/bɹˈɛstfid/
fixed phrase
Feed baby from breast
To give a baby milk from a woman's breast.
Examples
- She decided to breastfeed her newborn.
- Many health experts recommend breastfeeding for at least six months.
make a clean breast of it
1/mˈeɪk ə klˈin bɹˈɛst əv ˈɪt/
idiom
Admit something honestly
To tell the truth about something you did wrong or kept secret.
Examples
- He made a clean breast of it and confessed to his mistake.
- It's best to make a clean breast of it before they find out.