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brother
CIDE DICTIONARY
brother, n. [OE. brother, AS. brō; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. brō, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. brō, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr, L. frater, Skr. bhrāt, 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. dative sing. brē, nom. pl. brō, brō. Friar, Fraternal.].
- 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 , orbrother of the half blood ."A brother having the same mother but different fathers is called auterine brother , and one having the same father but a different mother is called anagnate brother , or in(Law) aconsanguine brother . A brother having the same father and mother is called abrother-german orfull brother . The same modifying terms are applied tosister orsibling ." [1913 Webster]"Two of us in the churchyard lie,
My sister and my brother." [1913 Webster] - 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. Shak. [1913 Webster]"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother." [1913 Webster] - One who, or that which, resembles another in distinctive qualities or traits of character. [1913 Webster]" 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." [1913 Webster]"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." [1913 Webster]"That April morn
Of this the very brother." [1913 Webster]"For of whom such massacre
Make they but of their brethren, men of men?" [1913 Webster]
brother, v. t.
To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit to a brotherhood. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
brother, n.
1 a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents.
2 a (often as a form of address) a close male friend or associate. b a male fellow member of a trade union etc.
3 (pl. also brethren) a a member of a male religious order, esp. a monk. b a fellow member of the Christian Church, a religion, or (formerly) a guild etc.
4 a fellow human being.
1 a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents.
2 a (often as a form of address) a close male friend or associate. b a male fellow member of a trade union etc.
3 (pl. also brethren) a a member of a male religious order, esp. a monk. b a fellow member of the Christian Church, a religion, or (formerly) a guild etc.
4 a fellow human being.
Idiom
brother german see GERMAN. brother-in-law (pl. brothers-in-law)
1 the brother of one's wife or husband.
2 the husband of one's sister.
3 the husband of one's sister-in-law. brother uterine see UTERINE 2.
1 the brother of one's wife or husband.
2 the husband of one's sister.
3 the husband of one's sister-in-law. brother uterine see UTERINE 2.
Derivative
brotherless adj. brotherly adj. & adv. brotherliness n.
Etymology
OE brothor f. Gmc
THESAURUS
brother
Greek, abbacomes, abbot, acquaintance, adjunct, advocate, affiliate, ally, alter ego, analogon, analogue, ascetic, associate, aunt, auntie, backer, beadsman, bedfellow, belonger, best friend, blood brother, bosom friend, brethren, brother-in-arms, bub, bubba, bud, buddy, caloyer, card-carrier, card-carrying member, cardholder, casual acquaintance, catechumen, celibate, cenobite, charter member, chum, church member, churchman, churchwoman, close acquaintance, close copy, close friend, close match, clubber, clubman, clubwoman, coadjutor, cognate, cohort, colleague, committeeman, communicant, companion, compatriot, compeer, complement, comrade, confederate, confidant, confidante, confrere, congenator, congener, consociate, consort, conventioneer, conventioner, conventionist, conventual, conventual prior, coordinate, correlate, correlative, correspondent, counterpart, country cousin, cousin, cousin once removed, cousin twice removed, crony, daughter, dues-paying member, enlistee, enrollee, equivalent, familiar, father, favorer, fellow, fellow creature, fellow member, fellowman, first cousin, foster brother, frater, fraternity man, friar, friend, grand prior, grandnephew, grandniece, granduncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, guildsman, half brother, hermit, hieromonach, honorary member, image, initiate, inseparable friend, insider, intimate, joiner, kid brother, kin, kindred spirit, kinsman, laic, lay abbot, lay brother, lay sister, layman, laywoman, life member, like, likeness, lover, mate, member, mendicant, monastic, monk, mother, near duplicate, neighbor, nephew, niece, nuncle, nunks, nunky, obverse, one of us, other self, pal, palmer, parallel, parishioner, partisan, pendant, pickup, picture, pilgrim, pillar saint, pillarist, pledge, prior, reciprocal, relation, relative, religieux, religious, repository, second cousin, second self, secular, sibling, similitude, simulacrum, sis, sissy, sister, sister-german, sistern, socius, son, sorority girl, sorority woman, soul mate, stepbrother, stepsister, stylite, such, suchlike, supporter, sympathizer, tally, the like of, the likes of, twin, unc, uncle, uncs, uterine brother, well-wisherROGET THESAURUS
brother
Consanguinity
N consanguinity, relationship, kindred, blood, parentage, filiation, affiliation, lineage, agnation, connection, alliance, family connection, family tie, ties of blood, nepotism, kinsman, kinfolk, kith and kin, relation, relative, connection, sibling, sib, next of kin, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, cousin, cousin- german, first cousin, second cousin, cousin once removed, cousin twice removed, ear relation, distant relation, brother, sister, one's own flesh and blood, family, fraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood, cousinhood, race, stock, generation, sept, stirps, side, strain, breed, clan, tribe, nation, related, akin, consanguineous, of the blood, family, allied, collateral, cognate, agnate, connate, kindred, affiliated, fraternal, intimately related, nearly related, closely related, remotely related, distantly related, allied, german.Similarity
N similarity, resemblance, likeness, similitude, semblance, affinity, approximation, parallelism, agreement, analogy, analogicalness, correspondence, homoiousia, parity, connaturalness, connaturality, brotherhood, family likeness, alliteration, rhyme, pun, repetition, sameness, uniformity, isogamy, analogue, the like, match, pendant, fellow companion, pair, mate, twin, double, counterpart, brother, sister, one's second self, alter ego, chip of the old block, par nobile fratrum, Arcades ambo, birds of a feather, et hoc genus omne, gens de meme famille, parallel, simile, type, image, photograph, close resemblance, striking resemblance, speaking resemblance, faithful likeness, faithful resemblance, similar, resembling, like, alike, twin, analogous, analogical, parallel, of a piece, such as, so, homoiousian, connatural, congener, allied to, akin to, approximate, much the same, near, close, something like, sort of, in the ballpark, such like, a show of, mock, pseudo, simulating, representing, exact, lifelike, faithful, true to nature, true to life, the very image, the very picture of, for all the world like, comme deux gouttes d'eau, as like as two peas in a pod, as like as it can stare, instar omnium, cast in the same mold, ridiculously like, as if, so to speak, as it were, as if it were, quasi, just as, veluti in speculum, et sic de similibus, tel maitre tel valet, tel pere tel fils, like master, like servant, like father, like son, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, a chip off the old block.Equality
N equality, parity, coextension, symmetry, balance, poise, evenness, monotony, level, equivalence, equipollence, equipoise, equilibrium, equiponderance, par, quits, a wash, not a pin to choose, distinction without a difference, six of one and half a dozen of the other, tweedle dee and tweedle dum, identity, similarity, equalization, equation, equilibration, co-ordination, adjustment, readjustment, drawn game, drawn battle, neck and neck race, tie, draw, standoff, dead heat, match, peer, compeer, equal, mate, fellow, brother, equivalent, equal, even, level, monotonous, coequal, symmetrical, coordinate, on a par with, on a level with, on a footing with, up to the mark, equiparant, equivalent, tantamount, indistinguishable, quits, homologous, synonymous, resolvable into, convertible, much at one, as broad as long, neither more nor less, much the same as, the same thing as, as good as, all one, all the same, equipollent, equiponderant, equiponderous, equibalanced, equalized, drawn, half and half, isochronal, isochronous isoperimetric, isoperimetrical, isobath, isobathic, equally, pari passu, ad eundum, caeteris paribus, in equilibrio, to all intents and purposes, it comes to the same thing, it amounts to the same thing, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gande.Also see definition of "brother" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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