Brine (?), n. [AS. bryne a burning, salt liquor, brine, fr. brinnan, brynnan, to burn. See Burn.]
1.
Water saturated or strongly inpregnated with salt; pickle; hence, any strong saline solution; also, the saline residue or strong mother liquor resulting from the evaporation of natural or artificial waters.
2.
The ocean; the water of an ocean, sea, or salt lake.
Not long beneath the whelming brine . . . he lay.
Cowper.
3.
Tears; -- so called from their saltness.
What a deal of brine
Hath washed thy sallow cheecks for
Rosaline!
Shak.
Brine fly Zool., a fly of the genus Ephydra, the larvae of which live in artificial brines and in salt lakes. -- Brine gauge, an instrument for measuring the saltness of a liquid. -- Brine pan, a pit or pan of salt water, where salt is formed by cristallization. -- Brine pit, a salt spring or well, from which water is taken to be boiled or evaporated for making salt. -- Brine pump Marine Engin., a pump for changing the water in the boilers, so as to clear them of the brine which collects at the bottom. -- Brine shrimp, Brine worm Zool., a phyllopod crustacean of the genus Artemia, inhabiting the strong brines of salt works and natural salt lakes. See Artemia. -- Brine spring, a spring of salt water. -- Leach brine Saltmaking, brine which drops from granulated salt in drying, and is preserved to be boiled again.
© Webster 1913.
Brine (?), v. t.
1.
To steep or saturate in brine.
2.
To sprinkle with salt or brine; as, to brine hay.
© Webster 1913.