English Dictionary: brother | by the DICT Development Group |
4 results for brother | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Brother \Broth"er\ (br[ucr][th]"[etil]r), n.; pl. {Brothers} (br[ucr][th]"[etil]rz) or {Brethren} (br[ecr][th]"r[ecr]n). See {Brethren}. [OE. brother, AS. br[d3][edh]or; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. br[d3][edh]ir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. br[d3][thorn]ar, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr[ucr], L. frater, Skr. bhr[be]t[rsdot], Zend bratar brother, Gr. fra`thr, fra`twr, a clansman. The common plural is {Brothers}; in the solemn style, {Brethren}, OE. pl. brether, bretheren, AS. dat. sing. br[c7][edh]er, nom. pl. br[d3][edh]or, br[d3][edh]ru. [root]258. Cf. {Friar}, {Fraternal}.] 1. A male person who has the same father and mother with another person, or who has one of them only. In the latter case he is more definitely called a half brother, or brother of the half blood. Two of us in the churchyard lie, My sister and my brother. --Wordsworth. 2. One related or closely united to another by some common tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a society, toil, suffering, etc.; -- used among judges, clergymen, monks, physicians, lawyers, professors of religion, etc. [bd]A brother of your order.[b8] --Shak. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother. --Shak. 3. One who, or that which, resembles another in distinctive qualities or traits of character. He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. --Prov. xviii. 9. That April morn Of this the very brother. --Wordsworth. Note: In Scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote than a son of the same parents, as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for fellow-man or fellow-men. For of whom such massacre Make they but of their brethren, men of men? --Milton. {Brother Jonathan}, a humorous designation for the people of the United States collectively. The phrase is said to have originated from Washington's referring to the patriotic Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, as [bd]Brother Jonathan.[b8] {Blood brother}. See under {Blood}. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Brother \Broth"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Brothered}.] To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit to a brotherhood. --Sir W. Scott. | |
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: | |
Brother (1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, 19). (2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8; 14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19). (3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5). (4.) A disciple or follower (Matt. 25:40; Heb. 2:11, 12). (5.) One of the same faith (Amos 1:9; Acts 9:30; 11:29; 1 Cor. 5:11); whence the early disciples of our Lord were known to each other as brethren. (6.) A colleague in office (Ezra 3:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1). (7.) A fellow-man (Gen. 9:5; 19:7; Matt. 5:22, 23, 24; 7:5; Heb. 2:17). (8.) One beloved or closely united with another in affection (2 Sam. 1:26; Acts 6:3; 1 Thess. 5:1). Brethren of Jesus (Matt. 1:25; 12:46, 50: Mark 3:31, 32; Gal. 1:19; 1 Cor. 9:5, etc.) were probably the younger children of Joseph and Mary. Some have supposed that they may have been the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and others that they were the children of Mary, the Virgin's sister, and wife of Cleophas. The first interpretation, however, is the most natural. |