breastwheel

As nouns the difference between breast and breastwheel

is that breast is either of the two organs on the front of a woman's chest, which contain the mammary glands; also the analogous organs in men while breastwheel is a water wheel where the stream of water strikes neither so high as in the overshot wheel, nor so low as in the undershot, but generally at about half the height of the wheel, being kept in contact with it by the breasting. The water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight.

As a verb breast

is to push against with the breast; to meet full on, to oppose, to face.

As a verb undershot

is (undershoot).

As an adjective undershot

is (of a waterwheel) powered by water flowing from below.

As a noun breastwheel is

a water wheel where the stream of water strikes neither so high as in the overshot wheel, nor so low as in the undershot, but generally at about half the height of the wheel, being kept in contact with it by the breasting the water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight.

As a verb overshot

is (overshoot).

As an adjective overshot

is (of a waterwheel) powered by water that flows over the top from above.

As a noun breastwheel is

a water wheel where the stream of water strikes neither so high as in the overshot wheel, nor so low as in the undershot, but generally at about half the height of the wheel, being kept in contact with it by the breasting the water acts on the float boards partly by impulse, partly by its weight.