I. ˈbrüd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English brōd; akin to Middle High German bruot incubation, brood, Old English beorma yeast — more at barm
1. : the young of animals: as
a. : the young of birds hatched or cared for at one time
as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings — Lk 13:34 (Authorized Version)
b. : the young from the same dam or the offspring of the same mother especially if nearly of the same age : progeny
c. : the eggs and young of various bees
d. : progeny produced at a hatch or as a result of a single breeding period
some insects produce a dozen broods a year
the first brood of black flies always seems to bite hardest
2. archaic : a brooding or hatching group
3. : a group likened to a brood of young especially in respect to similarity of form or nature
a brood of meteors
community of origin
the entire brood of chronicle plays — T.S.Eliot
or shared relation to some other item
the ship that some day will mother her own brood of modern planes — New York Times
a brood of crystal cups about the bowl
4. : a brood bitch — compare stud
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English broden, from brod, brood, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to sit on or incubate (eggs) for the purpose of hatching
b. : to produce as if by incubation : hatch
2.
a. of a bird : to cover (young) with the wings : warm and protect with the body
b. obsolete : to cherish with care : hover over protectingly
3. : to turn over in the mind : think anxiously or moodily upon : ponder
I used to brood these things on my walk — Christopher Morley
intransitive verb
1.
a. of a bird : to sit on eggs or cover young with the wings
b. : to sit quietly as if brooding eggs or young
birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave — John Milton
2. : to hover as if enveloping with wings
the old fort brooding above the valley
3.
a. : to dwell continuously or moodily on a subject — usually used with over or on
he brooded over their neglect
b. : to be in a state of mental gloom and depression : to indulge in depressing meditation
nothing relieved his distress, he just sat and brooded
III. adjective
Etymology: brood (I)
1. of a hen : brooding : sitting on eggs
2.
a. : kept for breeding
a brood female
brood flock
b. : having or producing young
a brood sow
3. of a plant : infested with insects to an unusual degree
elimination of an occasional brood tree may cut down insect losses considerably