■ verb ( past and past participle bred )
1》 (of animals) mate and then produce offspring.
↘cause (an animal) to produce offspring.
↘develop (a variety of plant or animal).
2》 bring up to behave in a particular way.
3》 produce or lead to: success had bred a certain arrogance.
4》 Physics create (fissile material) by nuclear reaction.
■ noun
1》 a distinctive stock of animals or plants within a species, typically one deliberately developed.
2》 a sort or kind.
Origin
OE brēdan , of Gmc origin; related to brood .