bri:d 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. øbred 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. øøbreeder n. [OE bredan: rel. to BROOD]