n. [ AS. bryne a burning, salt liquor, brine, fr. brinnan, brynnan, to burn. See Burn. ] 1. Water saturated or strongly impregnated 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. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. The ocean; the water of an ocean, sea, or salt lake. [ 1913 Webster ]
Not long beneath the whelming brine . . . he lay. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]
3. Tears; -- so called from their saltness. [ 1913 Webster ]
What a deal of brine
Hath washed thy sallow cheecks for
Rosaline! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Brine fly (Zool.), a fly of the genus Ephydra, the larvæ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]