broach

Etymology 1

From Middle English broche, from Old French broche, from Vulgar Latin *brocca, originally a feminine form of Latin broccus, perhaps ultimately of Gaulish origin (see Scottish Gaelic bròg; cognate to brochure).

noun

1. A series of chisel points mounted on one piece of steel. For example, the toothed stone chisel shown here.
2. (masonry) A broad chisel for stone-cutting.
3. Alternative spelling of brooch
   She pinned a broach on her jacket. When Viv saw it, she laughed. “Is that the best you can do? A flower broach?” 2012, Cara C. Putman, A Promise Born
4. A spit for cooking food.
5. An awl; a bodkin; also, a wooden rod or pin, sharpened at each end, used by thatchers.
   It [the straw] is laid on to a considerable thickness and firmly secured by ropes or twisted straw, and pinned down by sharpened sticks called 'broaches' 1840, “Cottages - Thatching”, in The Penny Magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
6. (architecture, UK, dialect) A spire rising from a tower.
7. A spit-like start on the head of a young stag.
8. The stick from which candle wicks are suspended for dipping.
9. The pin in a lock which enters the barrel of the key.

verb

1. (transitive) To make a hole in, especially a cask of liquor, and put in a tap in order to draw the liquid.
2. (transitive) To open, to make an opening into; to pierce.
   French knights at Agincourt were unable to broach the English line.
3. (transitive, figurative) To begin discussion about (something).
   I broached the subject of contraceptives carefully when the teenager mentioned his promiscuity.
   THE POCKET ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF BRITISH STEAM LOCOMOTIVES. By O. S. Nock. Blandford Press. 18s. Mr. Nock, he remarks in his preface, was "incredulous" when the idea of this book of 192 colour gravure illustrations of a representative collection of British steam locomotives from Locomotion to BR's Evening Star was broached to him. 1964 December, “New Books”, in Modern Railways, page 429

Etymology 2

verb

1. (intransitive) To be turned sideways to oncoming waves, especially large or breaking waves.
   The small boat broached and nearly sank, because of the large waves.
2. (transitive) To cause to turn sideways to oncoming waves, especially large or breaking waves (usually followed by to; also figurative).
   18th C, Thomas Dibdin, Tom Bowling Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling ... for death hath broached him to.
   Each time we came around into the wind, the sea broached our bow.
3. (nautical, intransitive, of a submerged submarine, torpedo, or similar) To break the surface of the water.