Breeze, n. [F. brise; akin to It.
brezza breeze, Sp. briza, brisa, a breeze from
northeast, Pg. briza northeast wind; of uncertain origin; cf. F.
bise, Pr. bisa, OHG. bisa, north wind, Arm. biz
northeast wind.] 1. A light, gentle wind; a fresh,
soft-blowing wind.
Into a gradual calm the breezes sink.
Wordsworth.
2. An excited or ruffed state of feeling; a flurry
of excitement; a disturbance; a quarrel; as, the discovery produced a
breeze. [Colloq.]
Land breeze, a wind blowing from the land,
generally at night. -- Sea breeze, a breeze or
wind blowing, generally in the daytime, from the sea.
Breeze (?), Breeze" fly` (?), n.
[OE. brese, AS. briósa; perh. akin to OHG.
brimissa, G. breme, bremse, D. brems, which are
akin to G. brummen to growl, buzz, grumble, L. fremere to
murmur; cf. G. brausen, Sw. brusa, Dan. bruse, to
roar, rush.] (Zoöl.) A fly of various species, of the
family Tabanidæ, noted for buzzing about animals, and
tormenting them by sucking their blood; -- called also horsefly, and
gadfly. They are among the largest of two-winged or dipterous
insects. The name is also given to different species of botflies.
[Written also breese and brize.]
Breeze (?), n. [F. braise cinders,
live coals. See Brasier.] 1. Refuse left in the
process of making coke or burning charcoal.
2. (Brickmaking) Refuse coal, coal ashes,
and cinders, used in the burning of bricks.
Breeze, v. i. To blow gently. [R.]
J. Barlow.
To breeze up (Naut.), to blow with
increasing freshness.