bread basket
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
The stomach; a term used by boxers. I took him a punch in his bread basket; i.e. I gave him a blow in the stomach.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
DUMPLING-DEPOT, VICTUALLING-OFFICE, &c., were terms which in the old pugilistic days were given by the "Fancy" to the digestive organs. Blows in this region were called "porridge disturbers," and other fancy names, which were supposed to rob them of their hardness—to those who did not receive them.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bread basket” mean?
The stomach; a term used by boxers. I took him a punch in his bread basket; i.e. I gave him a blow in the stomach.
Is “bread basket” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.