First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1bream
noun \ˈbrim, ˈbrēm\
: a kind of fish that people catch for food
plural bream or breams
Full Definition of BREAM
1
: a bronze-colored European freshwater cyprinid fish (Abramis brama); broadly : any of various related fishes
2
a : any of various marine fish (family Sparidae) related to the porgy —called also sea bream b : any of various freshwater sunfishes (Lepomis and related genera); especially : bluegill
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Origin of BREAM
Middle English breme, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German brahsima bream, Middle High German brehen to shine
2bream
verb \ˈbrēm\
Definition of BREAM
transitive verb
: to clean (a ship's bottom) by heating and scraping
Origin of BREAM
probably from Dutch brem furze; from the use of burning furze in the cleaning
First Known Use: 1626
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