I. ˈbrēd verb
( bred ˈbred ; breed·ing )
Etymology: Middle English breden, from Old English brēdan; akin to Old English brōd 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. : mate IV,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
II. noun
Date: 1553
1. : a group of usually domesticated animals or plants presumably related by descent from common ancestors and visibly similar in most characters
2. : a number of persons of the same stock
3. : class , kind
a new breed of athlete