Broach (verb)
bro-ch
Raise (a difficult subject) for discussion.
Pierce (a cask) to draw out liquid.
Middle English from Old French brochier, based on Latin brocchus, broccus ‘projecting’. The earliest recorded sense was ‘prick with spurs’, generally ‘pierce’, which gave rise (late Middle English) to broach (sense 2). broach (sense 1), a figurative use of this, dates from the late 16th century.
Example sentences
“It was hard to broach the subject for discussion.”
“As he broached the cask everyone cheered.”
Mackle (verb) mak-ul to blur, as from a double impression in printing First used in 1585–95. A variant of earlier macle, makle; earlier macule (from the Latin macula, “spot, blemish”).…