breast-deep

They waded breast-deep in the water, emerging, coming shoreward, a woman, with her hair coiled about her head, and in pursuit of her a man, graceful figures of black and silver, with a bright green surge flowing off from them, a pattering of flashing wavelets about them.

In the Days of the Comet Herbert George 2006

Two hours of such a task enabled me to drag my caravan over a savannah one mile and a half broad; and barely had I finished congratulating myself over my success before I was halted by a deep ditch, which, filled with rain-water from the inundated savannahs, had become a considerable stream, breast-deep, flowing swiftly into the Makata.

How I Found Livingstone Henry Morton 2004

The man who preceded me was only thigh-deep, but the disturbance caused by his feet made it breast-deep for me.

Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa 2004

On Nunnwood - the sole remnant of antique British forest in a region whose lowlands were once all sylvan chase, as its highlands were breast-deep heather - slept the shadow of a cloud; the distant hills were dappled, the horizon was shaded and tinted like mother-of-pearl; silvery blues, soft purples, evanescent greens and rose-shades, all melting into fleeces of white cloud, pure as azury snow, allured the eye as with

Shirley, by Charlotte Bronte 2004

Her bowsprit dove under, burying Jim almost breast-deep, spoiling his aim.

Jim Spurling, Fisherman or Making Good Albert Walter Tolman

A stately sweep of dark deep water, with a high-wooded bank of rock on the farther side, and ample wading ground on your own, with pleasantly shingled bottom perhaps, and a current where you may work breast-deep in safety.

Lines in Pleasant Places Being the Aftermath of an Old Angler William Senior

On the last day of April we crossed the Rapidan, fording its breast-deep current, considered too strong for the pontoons, and wondering, especially as the cannonading of the evening previous indicated resistance ahead, that our advance was not at this point impeded.

Red-Tape and Pigeon-Hole Generals As Seen From the Ranks During a Campaign in the Army of the Potomac William H. Armstrong

In other directions there was a solid bottom, but inconveniently covered by three or four feet of water, through which the troops waded breast-deep, holding their muskets high in the air, unable to reload them when once discharged, and liable to be picked off by rebel scouts, who ingeniously posted themselves in the tops of palm-trees.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 05, No. 31, May, 1860 Various

In vain they endeavoured, with the assistance of the Esquimaux, to get her off: eight of them waded into the water breast-deep and toiled for upwards of an hour, but could not move her; meanwhile the vessel went away, and they were left alone with the natives.

The Moravians in Labrador Anonymous

The snow fell breast-deep, and was followed by a pelting rain which killed his mules by scores.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 18, April, 1859 Various