brood

[bro͞od]

brood Definition

  • 1a family of young animals, especially birds, that were all born at the same time to the same mother
  • 2to think a lot about something that makes you annoyed, anxious, or upset
  • 3to keep eggs warm before they hatch

Using brood: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "brood" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The hen was sitting on her brood of eggs.

  • Example

    The robin's brood had just hatched and were chirping loudly.

  • Example

    She brooded over the mistake she had made.

  • Example

    He brooded on his failures.

  • Example

    The eggs need to be brooded for two weeks.

brood Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for brood

Antonyms for brood

Phrases with brood

  • a female horse used for breeding

    Example

    The farm had several brood mares for breeding racehorses.

  • a featherless area on a bird's belly that is used to keep eggs warm

    Example

    The mother bird sat on her eggs, keeping them warm with her brood patch.

  • to think about something that makes you unhappy or worried for a long time

    Example

    She spent the whole weekend brooding over her problems.

Origins of brood

from Old English 'brōd', meaning 'offspring'

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Summary: brood in Brief

The term 'brood' [bro͞od] has multiple meanings. As a noun, it refers to a family of young animals, especially birds, that were all born at the same time to the same mother. As a verb, it means to think a lot about something that makes you annoyed, anxious, or upset, or to keep eggs warm before they hatch. Examples include 'The robin's brood had just hatched and were chirping loudly,' and 'She brooded over the mistake she had made.'