Also 9 breese, braize. [Origin somewhat uncertain: prob. a. F. braise, OF. brese burning charcoal, hot embers, also ‘extinguished half-burned coal’ (Littré), as braise de boulanger baker’s breeze.]
Small cinders and cinder-dust, used in burning bricks, etc.; small coke and coke-dust.
1726. Act 12 Geo. I., xxxv. Nor any Breeze be used in the burning of any Bricks for Sale.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., Breeze, in brick-making, are small ashes and cinders, sometimes made use of instead of coals, for the burning of bricks.
1862. Act 25 & 26 Vict., c. 102 § 89. If any person … carry away … cinders, rubbish, ashes, or breeze from any houses.
1864. Athenæum, No. 1928. 466/3. Braize (or cinder taken from the scavenger’s yard).
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 505. Breezes (Braise Fr.), the dust of coke or charcoal. The coke burner applies this term to the small residual coke obtained in coke burning. The sifted ashes removed from houses is called breeze, and sold under that name to brickmakers and others.
1884. R. R. Bowker, in Harper’s Mag., April, 777/1. Coke breeze (the refuse of gas-works).
