breastplate

3 definitions found

breastplate - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Breastplate \Breast"plate`\, n.
     1. A plate of metal covering the breast as defensive armor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Before his old rusty breastplate could be scoured,
              and his cracked headpiece mended.     --Swift.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A piece against which the workman presses his breast in
        operating a breast drill, or other similar tool.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A strap that runs across a horse's breast. --Ash.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Jewish Antiq.) A part of the vestment of the high priest,
        worn upon the front of the ephod. It was a double piece of
        richly embroidered stuff, a span square, set with twelve
        precious stones, on which were engraved the names of the
        twelve tribes of Israel. See Ephod.
        [1913 Webster] Breastplow

breastplate - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  breastplate
      n 1: armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a
           cuirass [syn: breastplate, aegis, egis]

breastplate - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Breastplate
  (1.) That piece of ancient armour that protected the breast.
  This word is used figuratively in Eph. 6:14 and Isa. 59:17. (See
  ARMOUR.)
  
    (2.) An ornament covering the breast of the high priest, first
  mentioned in Ex. 25:7. It was made of embroidered cloth, set
  with four rows of precious stones, three in each row. On each
  stone was engraved the name of one of the twelve tribes (Ex.
  28:15-29; 39:8-21). It was in size about ten inches square. The
  two upper corners were fastened to the ephod by blue ribbons. It
  was not to be "loosed from the ephod" (Ex. 28:28). The lower
  corners were fastened to the girdle of the priest. As it
  reminded the priest of his representative character, it was
  called the memorial (28:29). It was also called the breastplate
  of judgment (28:15). (See PRIEST.)