Forms: 6–7 brize, brieze, 7 brise, brese, breze, breaze, 7–8 breez, breese, 7– breeze. [In 16th c. brize, brieze, app. ad. OSp. (and Pg.) briza (mod.Sp. brisa) ‘north-east wind’ (though, according to Cotgrave, brize also occurs in Fr. (in Rabelais a. 1550) = bize, bise ‘north wind’). Cf. also It. brezza ‘cold wind bringing mist or frost’ (Florio), Milanese brisa ‘cool wind from the north’ (Diez). Cotgrave’s brize = bize, supports the suggestion of Diez, that the word was orig. a variant of bisa, bise ‘north-east wind.’ On the Atlantic sea-board of the West Indies and Spanish Main, briza acquired the transferred senses of ‘north-east trade-wind,’ and ‘fresh wind from the sea,’ in which it was adopted by the English navigators of the 16th c. The further extension to ‘gentle fresh wind’ generally, is English; cf. the actual F. brise (in the Dict. of the Academy only since 1762).]
† 1. orig. A north or north-east wind; spec. applied within the tropics to the NE. trade-wind.
1565–89. Hawkins’ 2nd Voy., in Arb., Garner, V. 121. The ordinary brise taking us, which is the north-east wind.
1595. Raleigh, Disc. Guiana, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1600), III. 661. Against the brize and eastern wind.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. iv. 128. In that Zone … the Easterly windes (which they call Brises) do raine.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Apol., 19. When the Easterly wind or Breeses are kept off by some High Mountaines.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 398. The great Brizes which the motion of the Air in great Circles … produceth.
1685. Phil. Trans., XV. 1148. There are continual Eastern winds under the line which they call Brises.
1706. Phillips, Brizes, or rather Breezes, certain Winds, which the motion of the Air in great circles doth produce, refrigerating those that live under the line.
† 2. The cool wind that blows from the sea by day on tropical coasts. (This was on the Atlantic sea-board of tropical America an east or north-east wind, i.e., a Breeze in sense 1; thence the name was extended to the ‘sea-breeze’ from any point of the compass.) Obs. exc. as in b.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, I. iii. § 8. These hottest regions of the World … are … refreshed with a daily Gale of Easternly Wind (which the Spaniards call the Brize). Ibid. (a. 1618), Inv. Shipping, 39. Southerly winds (the Brises of our Clymate) thrust them … into the Kings ports.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., x. 46. A Breze is a wind blowes out of the Sea, and commonly in faire weather beginneth about nine in the morning.
1628. Digby, Voy. Medit., 38. Intending to goe in in the morning with the brize.
1665. G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. Ind., 373. Sending a breeze, or breath, or small gale of wind daily.
1696. Phillips, Breez, a fresh gale of wind blowing off the Sea by day.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, II. 307. A strong breeze which regularly blew up the channel at a certain time of the day.
b. Extended to include the counter-current of air that blows from the land by night; hence sea-breeze and land-breeze.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, VII. 9 (J.). From Land a gentle Breeze arose by Night.
1706. in Phillips.
1731. Bailey, II. Breez, a fresh gale of wind blowing from the sea or land alternately for some certain hours of the day or night only sensible near the coast.
1782. Cowper, Loss Royal George, 9. A land-breeze shook the shrouds.
1832. Macaulay, Armada, 31. The freshening breeze of eve unfurled that banner’s massy fold.
3. A gentle or light wind: a breeze is generally understood to be a lighter current of air than a wind, as a wind is lighter than a gale. ‘Among seamen usually synonymous with wind in general’ (Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk.).
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 17. A calme, a brese, a fresh gaile.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., I. 350. The lesser sails that court a gentle breeze.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., II. v. The breezes blew, the white foam flew.
1863. C. St. John, Nat. Hist. Moray, vii. 167. The breeze was gentle, but sufficient to take us merrily over.
4. fig. colloq. a. A disturbance, quarrel, ‘row.’
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar Tongue, To kick up a breeze, to breed a disturbance.
1803. Wellington, Lett., in Gurw., Disp., II. 367. The cession would create a breeze in the Konkan. Ibid. (1811), ibid., VII. 320. There was an old breeze between General — and —.
1837. Marryat, Dog-fiend, I. xv. 58 (L.). Jemmy, who expected a breeze, told his wife to behave herself quietly.
1865. Sat. Rev., 28 Jan., 119. ‘Don’t be angry, we’ve had our breeze. Shake hands.’
b. A breath of news, whisper, rumor.
1879. Stevenson, Trav. Cevennes, 215. There came a breeze that Spirit Séguier was near at hand.
1884. Denver (Colorado) Tribune, Aug. Give us a breeze on the subject.
5. Comb., as breeze-borne, -shaken, -wooing, breeze-like, adjs.
1805. J. Grahame, Sabbath. On the distant cairn the watchman’s ear Caught doubtfully at times the *breeze-borne note.
1798–9. Coleridge, Day-Dream, ii. 5. A soft and *breeze-like feeling.
1802. Wordsw., To H. C. The breeze-like motion.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., II. 300. Fate … hair-hung, *breeze-shaken, o’er the gulph A moment trembles.
c. 1830. J. H. Green, Morn. Invit. Child, 22. The bee hums of heather and *breeze-wooing hill.
