4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Brother  \Broth"er\  (br[u^][th]"[~e]r),  n.;  pl  {Brothers} 
  (br[u^][th]"[~e]rz)  or  {Brethren}  (br[e^][th]"r[e^]n).  See 
  {Brethren}.  [OE.  brother,  AS  br[=o][eth]or;  akin  to  OS 
  brothar,  D.  broeder,  OHG.  pruodar  G.  bruder,  Icel. 
  br[=o][eth]ir,  Sw  &  Dan.  broder,  Goth.  br[=o][thorn]ar,  Ir 
  brathair  W.  brawd,  pl  brodyr  Lith.  brolis,  Lett.  brahlis 
  Russ.  brat',  Pol.  &  Serv.  brat,  OSlav.  bratr[u^],  L.  frater, 
  Skr.  bhr[=a]t[.r],  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[=e][eth]er,  nom.  pl  br[=o][eth]or,  br[=o][eth]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  ``A  brother  of  your  order.''  --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  ``Brother 
  Jonathan.'' 
 
  {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  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  brother 
  adj  :  being  associated  as  a  companion  or  associate;  "fellow 
  traveler";  "brother  workers";  "sister  ship"  [syn:  {fellow(a)}, 
  {brother(a)},  {sister(a)}] 
  n  1:  a  male  with  the  same  parents  as  someone  else;  "my  brother 
  still  lives  with  our  parents"  [syn:  {blood  brother}] 
  [ant:  {sister}] 
  2:  a  male  person  who  is  a  fellow  member  (of  a  fraternity  or 
  religion  of  other  group);  "none  of  his  brothers  would 
  betray  him" 
  3:  a  close  friend  who  accompanies  his  buddies  in  their 
  activities  [syn:  {buddy},  {chum},  {crony},  {pal},  {sidekick}] 
  4:  used  as  a  term  of  address  for  those  male  persons  engaged  in 
  the  same  movement;  "Greetings,  comrade!"  [syn:  {comrade}] 
  5:  (Roman  Catholic)  a  title  given  to  a  monk  and  used  as  form  of 
  address;  "a  Benedictine  Brother"  [syn:  {Brother}] 
 
  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. 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words