Library / English Dictionary

BREEZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any undertaking that is easy to do

Example:

marketing this product will be no picnic

Synonyms:

breeze; child's play; cinch; duck soup; picnic; piece of cake; pushover; snap; walkover

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("breeze" is a kind of...):

labor; project; task; undertaking (any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "breeze"):

doddle (an easy task)

Derivation:

breeze (to proceed quickly and easily)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A slight wind (usually refreshing)

Example:

as he waited he could feel the air on his neck

Synonyms:

air; breeze; gentle wind; zephyr

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("breeze" is a kind of...):

air current; current of air; wind (air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "breeze"):

sea breeze (a cooling breeze from the sea (during the daytime))

breath (a slight movement of the air)

light air (wind moving 1-3 knots; 1 on the Beaufort scale)

light breeze (wind moving 4-7 knots; 2 on the Beaufort scale)

gentle breeze (wind moving 8-12 knots; 3 on the Beaufort scale)

moderate breeze (wind moving 13-18 knots; 4 on the Beaufort scale)

fresh breeze (wind moving 19-24 knots; 5 on the Beaufort scale)

strong breeze (wind moving 25-31 knots; 6 on the Beaufort scale)

Derivation:

breeze (blow gently and lightly)

breezy (abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

To proceed quickly and easily

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "breeze" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Also:

breeze through (succeed at easily)

Derivation:

breeze (any undertaking that is easy to do)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Blow gently and lightly

Example:

It breezes most evenings at the shore

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Hypernyms (to "breeze" is one way to...):

blow (be blowing or storming)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
It is ----ing
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

breeze (a slight wind (usually refreshing))

Credits

 Context examples: 

“Thank you, Master Copperfield! It's like the blowing of old breezes or the ringing of old bellses to hear YOU say Uriah. I beg your pardon. Was I making any observation?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

They went to the sands, to watch the flowing of the tide, which a fine south-easterly breeze was bringing in with all the grandeur which so flat a shore admitted.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

We passed a happy day. The air was clear, and the sun bright, and there was a cool breeze.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Those vile sea-breezes are the ruin of beauty and health.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The breeze had not seemed to waft the sighs of the murdered to her; it had wafted nothing worse than a thick mizzling rain; and having given a good shake to her habit, she was ready to be shown into the common drawing-room, and capable of considering where she was.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river, far enough from the poppy field to prevent her breathing any more of the poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft grass and waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

It broke the ice in the beginning by producing a laugh, it created quite a refreshing breeze, flapping to and fro as she rowed, and would make an excellent umbrella for the whole party, if a shower came up, she said.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

They loomed ominously above him; and when the breeze stirred them into huge movements, he cowered down in fear, keeping his eyes warily upon them, and prepared to spring away if they attempted to precipitate themselves upon him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

She was studying hard at the university, and it seemed to strengthen her to emerge from the dusty books and have the fresh sea-breeze of his personality blow upon her.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Presently a breeze dissipated the cloud, and I descended upon the glacier.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)