Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) to accost; thus breast the bar, to walk up to a bar to order a drink.

1881		Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW) 25 June 5: I trust ere long to breast the bar of the new hostelry, and imbibe of the flowing bowl.
1888		West Australian (Perth) 7 July 3/4: The charming Mrs. Dillon of the Brockman, whose sweet smiles lured many to breast the bar over which she presided.
1897		Coolgardie Miner (WA) 10 Aug. 6/7: I’m not goin’ to keep y’ out in the cold list’nin’ to me. So if y’ breast the bar the booze’ll begin to flow.
1900		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 12 Dec. 1/2: You can guess, when we breasted the bookies / We put on plenty of style.
1905		Bulletin (Sydney) 13 July 19/3: Barcoo Bill (testifying): ‘Yus, friends, I’ve been a drunkard, a sore, unhappy drunkard. (Glory!) Why, friends, I’ve got corns on my chest from breasting the bar.’ (Amen!).
1915		C.J. Dennis Songs of a Sentimental Bloke gloss. 🌐 Breast up to – To accost.
1918		Kia Ora Coo-ee 15 Aug. 19/3: The squadron leader came around, and Bill breasts up, and thrusting his tin plate almost under the officer’s nose, asks, ‘Do you think that is a breakfast for a hungry man?’.
1934		Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld) 1 Mar. 10/4: Breastin’ the bar to put the kind word on the publican for a farewell tonic.
1934		Central Qld Herald (Rockhampton, Qld) 26 July 12/2: I was feeling a bit dry, so we brested the bar.
1936		‘Banjo’ Paterson Shearer’s Colt 9: You go and breast him.
1968		S. Gore Holy Smoke 26: Feeling too much of a crumb to breast the old man again and give him the score.
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 7: We breasted the bar.
1996		Penguin Bk of More Aus. Jokes 238: A stranger in a small country town has been breasting the bar for a couple of hours when nature calls.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl.