breech

breech
    n 1: opening in the rear of the barrel of a gun where bullets
         can be loaded [syn: {breech}, {rear of barrel}, {rear of
         tube}]
    

Breech \Breech\ (br[=e]ch or br[i^]ch; 277), n. [See
   {Breeches}.]
   1. The lower part of the body behind; the buttocks.
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   2. Breeches. [Obs.] --Shak.
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   3. The hinder part of anything; esp., the part of a cannon,
      or other firearm, behind the chamber.
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   4. (Naut.) The external angle of knee timber, the inside of
      which is called the throat.
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Breech \Breech\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Breeched}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Breeching}.]
   1. To put into, or clothe with, breeches.
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            A great man . . . anxious to know whether the
            blacksmith's youngest boy was breeched. --Macaulay.
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   2. To cover as with breeches. [Poetic]
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            Their daggers unmannerly breeched with gore. --Shak.
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   3. To fit or furnish with a breech; as, to breech a gun.
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   4. To whip on the breech. [Obs.]
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            Had not a courteous serving man conveyed me away,
            whilst he went to fetch whips, I think, in my
            conscience, he would have breeched me. --Old Play.
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   5. To fasten with breeching.
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46 Moby Thesaurus words for "breech":
      afterpart, afterpiece, back, back door, back seat, back side,
      backside, bed, bedrock, behind, belly, bottom, bottom side,
      buttocks, derriere, downside, fanny, fundament, hardpan, heel,
      hind end, hind part, hindhead, lower side, lowest layer,
      lowest level, nether side, nethermost level, occiput, posterior,
      postern, rear, rear end, rearward, reverse, rock bottom, rump,
      stern, substratum, tail, tail end, tailpiece, underbelly,
      underlayer, underneath, underside