broaching

Verb (1)

broach (third-person singular simple present broaches, present participle broaching, simple past and past participle broached)

1. (transitive) To make a hole in, especially a cask of liquor, and put in a tap in order to draw the liquid.
   • How often has the broached barrel proved not to be for joy and heart effusion, but for duel and head-breakage.1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number)
2. (transitive) To open, to make an opening into; to pierce.
   • French knights at Agincourt were unable to broach the English line.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To begin discussion about (something).
   • I broached the subject of contraceptives carefully when the teenager mentioned his promiscuity.

   Synonyms:

   spring

Verb (2)

broach (third-person singular simple present broaches, present participle broaching, simple past and past participle broached)

1. (intransitive) To be turned sideways to oncoming waves, especially large or breaking waves.
   • The small boat broached and nearly sank, because of the large waves.
2. (transitive) To cause to turn sideways to oncoming waves, especially large or breaking waves (usually followed by to; also figurative).
   • 18th C, Thomas Dibdin, Tom Bowling
     Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling ... for death hath broached him to.
3. (ambitransitive, torpedo, or similar) To break the surface of the water.
   • Diving officer, broach the ship!

See all 15 meanings of broach