brazil

• brasil, Brazil

• IPA^(key): /bɹə.ˈzɪl/

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• Hyphenation: bra‧zil
• Rhymes: -ɪl

brazil (plural brazils)

1. (obsolete) A red-orange dye obtained from brazil wood. [14th–17th c.]
   • 1627, Francis Bacon, Sylva sylvarum:

     A small Quantity of Saffron will Tinct more then a very great Quantity of Brasil.

2. The hard, brown wood of a tree of the tribe Caesalpinieae; originally the sappan, Biancaea sappan, of the East Indies, and later the brazilwood, Paubrasilia echinata. [from 15th c.]
   • 1594, Thomas Blundeville, Exercises:

     The Prouince Brasilia tooke his name of the woode called Brasill.

   • 1886, Francis Quarles, Emblems:

     Thou know'st my brittle temper's prone to break.
     Are my bones brazil or my flesh of oak?

   • 2002, Victoria Finlay, Colour, Sceptre 2003, p. 198:

     [P]ernambucco – the finest brasil from Brazil, so strong it almost resembles iron – became the favoured material for good bows.

3. A Brazil nut.

   I picked up a handful of brazils from the bowl.

4. A seam of coal containing iron pyrites

• IPA^(key): [ˈbrɒzil]
• Hyphenation: bra‧zil
• Rhymes: -il

brazil (not comparable)

1. Brazilian (of, from, or relating to Brazil, or the Brazilian people)

brazil (plural brazilok)

1. Brazilian (a person from Brazil or of Brazilian descent)

• Brazília