honour in the breach

English

Verb

honour in the breach (third-person singular simple present honours in the breach, present participle honouring in the breach, simple past and past participle honoured in the breach)

1. (British spelling) Alternative form of honor in the breach.
   • 1960 April, “Talking of Trains: The present difficulties”, in Trains Illustrated, page 193:

     By the beginning of February British Railways were admitting in public that in some parts of the system running to time had been honoured more in the breach than the observance during the winter.

Usage notes

It is usually a part of the phrase "to honour more in the breach than the observance".