n.
Pronunciation: ' br ē d
Function: verb
Inflected Form: bred \ ' bred \ ; breed · ing
Etymology: Middle English breden, from Old English br ē dan; akin to Old English br ō d brood
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1 : to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation
2 a : BEGET 1 b : PRODUCE , ENGENDER <despair often breed s violence>
3 : to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions < bred several strains of corn together to produce a superior variety>
4 a : BRING UP , NURTURE <born and bred in the country> b : to inculcate by training < breed good manners into one's children>
5 a : 4 MATE 3 b : to mate with : INSEMINATE c : IMPREGNATE 2
6 : to produce (a fissionable element) by bombarding a nonfissionable element with neutrons from a radioactive element
intransitive verb
1 a : to produce offspring by sexual union b : COPULATE , MATE
2 : to propagate animals or plants