bred n. & v. --n. 1 baked
dough made of
flour usu. leavened
with yeast and moistened, eaten as a staple
food. 2 a
necessary food. b (also
daily bread) one's
livelihood. 3 sl.
money. --v.tr.
coat with breadcrumbs
for cooking. øbread and
butter 1 bread
spread with butter. 2 a one's livelihood. b
routine work to
ensure an
income. bread-and-butter
letter a letter of thanks for
hospitality. bread and circuses
the public provision of
subsistence and
entertainment. bread and
wine the
Eucharist. bread
basket 1 a basket for bread or rolls. 2 sl. the
stomach. bread
bin a
container for
keeping bread
in. bread
sauce a
white sauce thickened with breadcrumbs.
cast one's bread
upon the waters do
good without expecting
gratitude or
reward.
know which side one's bread is buttered know
where one's
advantage lies.
take the bread
out of a person's
mouth take
away a person's
living,
esp. by
competition etc. [OE bread f. Gmc]