<B>brainstorm, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>(Informal.) a sudden inspiration. <DD><B> 2. </B>a sudden and violent, but temporary, mental disturbance. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to stimulate the imagination of a group by having its members state every solution of a problem that comes to mind, withholding all criticism until the production of ideas is exhausted. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to subject (a group or a problem) to brainstorming. <BR> <I>Ex. Organized in teams of six ... they brainstormed such questions as how to stimulate creative thinking in the U.S. Navy (Newsweek).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to arrive at (a solution or idea) by brainstorming. <BR> <I>Ex. The plant superintendent ... brainstormed a plan to install a conveyor system (Wall Street Journal).</I> noun <B>brainstormer.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="brainstrust">
<B>brains trust,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (British.) <DD><B> 1. </B>a public meeting or radio or television program in which experts debate or answer questions submitted to them; panel discussion. <DD><B> 2. </B>brain trust. </DL>
<A NAME="brainteaser">
<B>brainteaser, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a puzzle to test a person's ingenuity; a baffling problem; teaser. <BR> <I>Ex. Mathematical brainteasers are an ancient sport (Scientific American).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="braintrust">
<B>brain trust,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a group of experrts consulted by an administrator or political leader. </DL>
<A NAME="braintruster">
<B>brain truster,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a member of a brain trust. </DL>
<A NAME="brainwash">
<B>brainwash, </B>verb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> to subject to brainwashing; indoctrinate. <DD><I>noun </I> the act or process of brainwashing. <BR> <I>Ex. the brainwash of war prisoners.</I> noun <B>brainwasher.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="brainwashing">
<B>brainwashing, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a process of systematically, forcibly, and intensively indoctrinating a person to destroy or weaken his beliefs and ideas, so that he becomes willing to accept different or opposite beliefs and ideas. </DL>
<A NAME="brainwave">
<B>brain wave,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>electric current produced by the rhythmic electric fluctuations between the parts of the brain. Brain waves can be recorded by an analyzer or an electroencephalograph. <DD><B> 2. </B>a telepathic vibration supposed to effect transference of thought by other than physical means of communication. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Informal.) a sudden bright idea; brainstorm. </DL>
<A NAME="brainwork">
<B>brainwork, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> work requiring special use of the brain, as distinguished from manual or mechanical work. </DL>
<A NAME="brainworker">
<B>brainworker, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who does brainwork. </DL>
<B>braise, </B>transitive verb, <B>braised,</B> <B>braising.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to brown (meat) quickly in fat and then cook long and slowly in a covered pan with a very little liquid. noun <B>braiser.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="brake">
<B>brake</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>braked,</B> <B>braking.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1a. </B>anything used to slow or stop the motion of a wheel or vehicle by pressing or scraping or by rubbing against. The brakes on a railroad train are blocks that press against the wheels. <DD><B> b. </B>(Figurative.) anything that retards or holds back; restraint; bridle. <BR> <I>Ex. The traditional class structure of British society is a powerful ... brake on growth (Atlantic).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a large, high, four-wheeled carriage; break. <DD><B> 3. </B>the handle or lever of a pump. <DD><B> 4. </B>a frame for holding a horse's foot while being shod. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to slow up or stop by using a brake. <BR> <I>Ex. He braked the speeding car and it skidded to a stop.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to use a brake on. <BR> <I>Ex. He braked the car in vain; the brakes would not hold.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to use a brake or brakes. <DD><B> 2. </B>to be braked; slow up or stop. <BR> <I>Ex. The train braked with a screech.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="brake">
<B>brake</B> (2), noun, verb, <B>braked,</B> <B>braking.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a tool or machine for breaking up flax or hemp into fibers. <DD><B> 2. </B>a baker's machine for kneading or rolling. <DD><B> 3. </B>a heavy harrow for breaking clods. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to break up (flax or hemp) into fibers. </DL>
<A NAME="brake">
<B>brake</B> (3), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a thick growth of bushes; thicket. <BR> <I>Ex. So thick entwined, As one continued brake, the undergrowth Of shrubs and tangling bushes (Milton).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="brake">
<B>brake</B> (4), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a large, coarse fern; bracken. <DD><B> 2. </B>any of various other ferns of related genera. </DL>
<A NAME="brake">
<B>brake</B> (5), verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Archaic.) broke; a past tense of <B>break</B> (1). <BR> <I>Ex. He took the bread and brake it.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="brakeage">
<B>brakeage, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the action of a brake in stopping a train or rolling vehicle. <DD><B> 2. </B>a brake or brakes. </DL>
<A NAME="brakeband">
<B>brake band,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a flexible band which, when tightened against a brake drum, causes friction and resultant braking action. </DL>
<A NAME="brakedisk">
<B>brake disk,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a disk revolving with a wheel, against which pads press to cause friction. </DL>
<A NAME="brakedrum">
<B>brake drum,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a metal cylinder revolving with a wheel or shaft, against which a brake band or shoe is pressed to create the friction necessary for retarding motion. </DL>
<A NAME="brakefade">
<B>brake fade,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a loss of braking power in a motor vehicle. </DL>
<A NAME="brakefluid">
<B>brake fluid,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the fluid used in a hydraulic brake. </DL>
<A NAME="brakehorsepower">
<B>brake horsepower,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the net output of horsepower of an engine, turbine, or other source of power, as measured by a band brake or a dynamometer; effective horsepower. (Abbr.) b.hp. </DL>
<A NAME="brakelining">
<B>brake lining,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a material generally consisting of asbestos combined with other materials, riveted or cemented to a brake band or brake shoe, to increase friction and resist heat. </DL>
<A NAME="brakeman">
<B>brakeman, </B>noun, pl. <B>-men.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a man who helps the engineer or conductor of a railroad train usually by coupling and uncoupling cars and by working the brake when a car is rolling free; trainman. Also, (British,) <B>brakesman.</B> </DL>
<B>brake pedal,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the pedal by which the driver of an automobile or other vehicle controls the brakes. </DL>
<A NAME="brakes">
<B>brakes, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> the parts, such as drums and shoes, comprising the mechanism used in braking. See <B>brake</B> (1) (def. 1a). </DL>
<A NAME="brakeshoe">
<B>brake shoe,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a part of a brake mechanism on railroad cars, automobiles, and other vehicles; a shaped metal block which rubs against a wheel, drum, or other surface in motion to provide friction when the brakes are applied. </DL>
<A NAME="brakesman">
<B>brakesman, </B>noun, pl. <B>-men.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (British.) brakeman. </DL>
<A NAME="brakevan">
<B>brake-van, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (British.) a railway car on a freight train, or a compartment on a passenger train, where the brakes are operated. </DL>
<A NAME="brakie">
<B>brakie</B> or <B>brakey, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) brakeman. </DL>
<A NAME="braky">
<B>braky, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> overgrown with bushes and shrubs. </DL>
<A NAME="braless">
<B>braless, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> not wearing a brassiere. </DL>
<A NAME="bramahlock">
<B>Bramah lock,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a form of lock characterized by a series of notched sliding pieces which are moved by the key. </DL>
<A NAME="bramantesque">
<B>Bramantesque, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with Renaissance architecture. <BR> <I>Ex. Bramantesque balance and symmetry.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="bramble">
<B>bramble, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a shrub or vine with prickly stems. Blackberry and raspberry plants are brambles. Brambles belong to the rose family. <DD><B> 2. </B>the common blackberry bush of England. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Scottish.) the fruit of the blackberry bush. <DD><B> 4. </B>any rough, prickly shrub, such as the dog rose. </DL>
<B>brambling, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a European finch, closely related and similar to the chaffinch, but having a conspicuous white rump. </DL>
<A NAME="brambly">
<B>brambly, </B>adjective, <B>-blier,</B> <B>-bliest.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>full of brambles. <BR> <I>Ex. a brambly field.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>like brambles; prickly. <BR> <I>Ex. a brambly bush.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="bramptonstock">
<B>Brampton stock,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a stock about two feet high that bears fragrant white, pink, red, purple, or yellow blossoms. </DL>
<A NAME="bran">
<B>bran, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the broken covering of seeds or kernels of grains like wheat and rye, which is separated from the inner part that is made into flour. Bran is used for fodder and in cereal, bread, and other foods. </DL>
<A NAME="bran">
<B>Bran, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a Celtic god, son of Llyr (the sea), and legendary king of Britain. </DL>
<A NAME="brancard">
<B>brancard, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a litter or stretcher for carrying wounded or sick persons. </DL>
