v. & n.
v. (past and past part. bred) 1 tr. & intr. bear, generate (offspring). 2 tr. & intr. propagate or cause to propagate; raise (livestock). 3 tr. a yield, produce; result in (war breeds famine). b spread (discontent bred by rumour). 4 intr. arise; spread (disease breeds in the Tropics). 5 tr. bring up; train (bred to the law; Hollywood breeds stars). 6 tr. Physics create (fissile material) by nuclear reaction.
n. 1 a stock of animals or plants within a species, having a similar appearance, and usu. developed by deliberate selection. 2 a race; a lineage. 3 a sort, a kind. bred and born = born and bred. bred in the bone hereditary. breeder reactor a nuclear reactor that can create more fissile material than it consumes. breed in mate with or marry near relations. breeder n.
[ OE bredan: rel. to BROOD ]