Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BREECH'ES, n. [plur. brich'es. Sax. bræc, bræccæ; D. broek; Arm. braga, brages; It. brace, brachesse or braghesse; Port. and Sp. bragas; Fr. braies; Ir. brog; Low L. braccæ; Dan. brog, breeches, and broged, of various colors, mixed, variegated; W. bryçan, a spotted covering, Scotch plaid; bryc, variegated with colors. “Sarmatæ totum braccati corpus.” Mela, 2. 1. See Plin. 3. 4. Herod. lib. 7. Strabo, lib. 15. Ovid. Trist. 5. 7. Cluv. Germ. Ant. 1. 16. Pelloutier, Hist. Celt. 1. 30. The word seems to be from the root of break, and to denote, diverse in color, variegated, like freckled. See Freckle.]

A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs. It is now a close garment; but the word formerly was used for a loose garment, now called trowsers, laxæ braccæ. – Ovid. To wear the breeches is, in the wife, to usurp the authority of the husband. – Johnson.