brake

I. archaic past of break II. noun Etymology: Middle English, fern, probably back-formation from braken bracken Date: 14th century the common bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) III. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Middle Low German; akin to Old English brecan to break Date: 15th century 1. a toothed instrument or machine for separating out the fiber of flax or hemp by breaking up the woody parts 2. a machine for bending, flanging, folding, and forming sheet metal IV. noun Etymology: Middle English -brake Date: 1562 rough or marshy land overgrown usually with one kind of plant • braky adjective V. noun Etymology: perhaps from obsolete brake bridle Date: circa 1782 1. a device for arresting or preventing the motion of a mechanism usually by means of friction 2. something used to slow down or stop movement or activity <

use interest rates as a brake on spending

> • brakeless adjective VI. verb (braked; braking) Date: 1868 transitive verb to retard or stop by or as if by a brake intransitive verb 1. to operate or manage a brake; especially to apply the brake on a vehicle 2. to become checked by a brake