bream Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun flesh of various freshwater fishes of North America or of Europe
    freshwater bream.
  2. noun flesh of any of various saltwater fishes of the family Sparidae or the family Bramidae
    sea bream.
  3. noun any of numerous marine percoid fishes especially (but not exclusively) of the family Sparidae
    sea bream.
  4. noun any of various usually edible freshwater percoid fishes having compressed bodies and shiny scales; especially (but not exclusively) of the genus Lepomis
    freshwater bream.
  5. verb clean (a ship's bottom) with heat

WordNet

Bream noun
Etymology
OE. breme, brem, F. brême, OF. bresme, of German origin; cf. OHG. brahsema, brahsina, OLG. bressemo, G. brassen. Cf. Brasse.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl) A European fresh-water cyprinoid fish of the genus Abramis, little valued as food. Several species are known.
  2. (Zoöl) An American fresh-water fish, of various species of Pomotis and allied genera, which are also called sunfishes and pondfishes. See Pondfish.
  3. (Zoöl) A marine sparoid fish of the genus Pagellus, and allied genera. See Sea Bream.
Bream transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. Broom, and G. ein schiff brennen.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Breamed present participle & verbal noun Breaming
Definitions
  1. (Naut.) To clean, as a ship's bottom of adherent shells, seaweed, etc., by the application of fire and scraping.

Webster 1913