n. & v.
--n.
1. the young of an animal (esp. a bird) produced at one hatching or birth.
2 colloq. the children in a family.
3 a group of related things.
4 bee or wasp larvae.
5 (attrib.) kept for breeding (brood-mare).
--v.
1. intr. (often foll. by on, over, etc.) worry or ponder (esp. resentfully).
2 a intr. sit as a hen on eggs to hatch them. b tr. sit on (eggs) to hatch them.
3 intr. (usu. foll. by over) (of silence, a storm, etc.) hang or hover closely.
Derivatives:
broodingly adv.
Etymology: OE brod f. Gmc