/ briːd; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( bred , bred / bred; NAmE /)
1.
[ v ] ( of animals ) to have sex and produce young :
Many animals breed only at certain times of the year.
—see also interbreed
2.
[ vn ] breed sth (for / as sth) to keep animals or plants in order to produce young ones in a controlled way :
The rabbits are bred for their long coats.
—see also cross-breed , pure-bred , thoroughbred
3.
[ vn ] to be the cause of sth :
Nothing breeds success like success.
4.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] breed sth into sb to educate sb in a particular way as they are growing up :
Fear of failure was bred into him at an early age.
—see also well bred
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IDIOMS
see born verb , familiarity
■ noun
1.
a particular type of animal that has been developed by people in a controlled way, especially a type of dog, cat or farm animal :
Labradors and other large breeds of dog
a breed of cattle / sheep , etc.
2.
[ usually sing. ] a type of person :
He represents a new breed of politician.
Players as skilful as this are a rare breed .
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English brēdan produce (offspring), bear (a child) , of Germanic origin; related to German brüten , also to brood .